MartinVangersunexpecteddeisewasthstoryonthe9:00newsontheradiowhenBlokvistwokeup.NothingwasreportedaboutthenightseventsotherthantosaythattheindustrialisthadinexplicablyandathighspeedcrossedtothewrongsideoftheE4,travellingsouth.Hehadbeenaloneinthecar.
ThelocalradioranastorythatdealtwithconceforthefutureoftheVangerCorporationandtheconsequencesthatthisdeathwouldinevitablyhaveforthepany.
AhastilyposedlunchtieupdatefrotheTTwireservicehadtheheadlineATOWNINSHOCK,anditsueduptheproblesoftheVangerCorporation.ItescapednoonesnoticethatinHedestadaloneorethan3,000ofthetowns21,000inhabitantswereeployedbytheVangerCorporationorwereotherwisedependentontheprosperityofthepany.ThefirsCEOwasdead,andtheforerCEOwasseriouslyilfteraheartattack.Therewasnonaturalheir.Allthisatatieconsideredtobeaongtheostcriticalinthepanyshistory.
BlokvisthadhadtheoptionofgoingtothepoliceinHedestadandtellingthewhathadhappenedthatnight,butSanderhadalreadysetacertainprocessinotion.Sincehehadnotiediatelycalledthepolice,itbecaehardertodosowitheachhourthatpassed.Hespenttheoinginglooysilence,sittingonthekitchenbench,watchingtherainoutside.Around10:00therewasanothercloudburst,butbylunchtietherainhadpedandthewindhaddieddownabit.Hewentoutandwipedoffthegardenfuitureandthensattherewithaugofcoffee.Hewaswearingashirtwiththecolrtuedup.
Martinsdeathcastashadow,ofcourse,overthedailylifeofHedeby.CarsbeganparkingoutsideIsabelVangershouseasthecngatheredtooffercondolences.Sanderobservedtheprocessionwithouteotion.
“Howareyoufeeling”shesaidatst.
“IthinkIstillinshock,”hesaid.“Iwashelpless.ForseveralhoursIwasconvincedthatIwasgoingtodie.IfeltthefearofdeathandtherewasntathingIcoulddo.”
Hestretchedouthishandandpceditonherknee.
“Thankyou,”hesaid.“Butforyou,Iwouldbedead.”
Sandersiledhercrookedsile.
“AllthesaeIdontunderstandhowyoucouldbesuchanidiotastotacklehionyourown.Iwaschainedtothefloordownthere,prayingthatyoudseethepictureandputtwoandtwotogetherandcallthepolice.”
“IfIdwaitedforthepolice,youwouldnthavesurvived.Iwasntgoingtoletthatotherfuckerkillyou.”
“Whydontyouwanttotalktothepolice”
“Inevertalktotheauthorities.”
“Whynot”
“Thatsybusiness.Butinyourcase,IdontthinkitwouldbeaterrifiareerovetobehungouttodryasthejoualistwhowasstrippednakedbyMartinVanger,thefaousserialkiller.IfyoudontlikeKalleBlokvist,youcanthinkupawholenewepithet.Justdonttakeitoutofthischapterofyourheroiclife.”
Blokvistgaveherasearchinglookanddroppedthesubject.
“Wedostillhaveaproble,”shesaid.
Blokvistnodded.“WhathappenedtoHarriet.Yes.”
SanderidthetwoPoroidpicturesonthetableinfrontofhi.Sheexpinedwhereshedfoundthe.Mikaelstudiedthepicturesintentlyforawhilebeforehelookedup.
“Itightbeher,”hesaidatst.“Iwouldntsweartoit,buttheshapeofherbodyandthehairreindeofthepicturesIveseen.”
Theysatinthegardenforanhour,piecingtogetherthedetails.Theydiscoveredthateachofthe,independentlyandfrodifferentdirections,hadidentifiedMartinVangerastheissinglink.
SandeeverdidfindthephotographthatBlokvisthadleftonthekitchentable.ShehadetotheconclusionthatBlokvisthaddonesoethingstupidafterstudyingthepicturesfrothesurveilncecaeras.ShehadgoneovertoMartinVangershousebywayoftheshoreandlookedinallthewindowsandseennoone.Shehadtriedallthedoorsandwindowsonthegroundfloor.Finallyshehadclibedinthroughanopenbalconydoorupstairs.Ithadtakenalongtie,andshehadovedextreelycautiouslyasshesearchedthehouse,roobyroo.Eventuallyshefoundthestairsdowntothebaseent.Martinhadbeencareless.Heleftthedoortohischaberofhorrorsajar,andshewasabletoforaclearipressionofthesituation.
BlokvistaskedherhowuchshehadheardofwhatMartinsaid.
“Notuch.IgottherewhenhewasaskingyouaboutwhathappenedtoHarriet,justbeforehehungyouupbythenoose.Ileftforafewinutestogobackandfindaweapon.”
“MartinhadnoideawhathappenedtoHarriet,”Blokvistsaid.
“Doyoubelievethat”
“Yes,”Blokvistsaidwithouthesitation.“MartinwasdafterthanasyphiliticpolecatwheredoIgettheseetaphorsfrobutheconfessedtoallthecrieshehaditted.Ithinkthathewantedtoipresse.ButwhenitcaetoHarriet,hewasasdesperateasHenrikVangertofindoutwhathappened.”
“Sowheredoesthattakeus”
“WeknowthatGottfriedwasresponsibleforthefirstseriesofurders,between1949and1965.”
“OK.AndhebroughtonlittleMartin.”
“Talkaboutadysfunctionalfaily,”Blokvistsaid.“Martinreallydidnthaveachance.”
Sandergavehiastrangelook.
“WhatMartintoldeeventhoughitwasrablingwasthathisfatherstartedhisapprenticeshipafterhereachedpuberty.HewasthereattheurderofLeainUddevalin1962.Hewasfourteen,forGodssake.HewasthereattheurderofSarain1964andthattiehetookanactivepart.Hewassixteen.”
“And”
“Hesaidthathehadnevertouchedanotheranexcepthisfather.Thatadeethinkthatwell,theonlypossibleconclusionisthathisfatherrapedhi.Martincalledithisduty.Thesexuassaultsusthavegoneonforalongtie.Hewasraisedbyhisfather,sotospeak.”
“Bullshit,”Sandersaid,hervoiceashardasflint.
Blokviststaredatherinastonishent.Shehadastubbolookinhereyes.Therewasnotanounceofsypathyinit.
“Martinhadexactlythesaeopportunityasanyoneelsetostrikeback.Hekilledandherapedbecausehelikeddoingit.”
“Inotsayingotherwise.ButMartinwasarepressedboyandundertheinfluenceofhisfather,justasGottfriedwascowedbyhisfather,theNazi.”
“SoyoureassuingthatMartinhadnowillofhisownandthatpeoplebeewhatevertheyvebeenbroughtuptobe.”
Blokvistsiledcautiously.“Isthisasensitiveissue”
Sanderseyesbzedwithfury.Blokvistquicklywenton.
“IonlysayingthatIthinkthatapersonsupbringingdoespyarole.Gottfriedsfatherbeathiercilesslyforyears.Thatleavesitsark.”
“Bullshit,”Sandersaidagain.“Gottfriedisnttheonlykidwhowaseveristreated.Thatdoesntgivehitherighttourderwoen.Headethatchoicehiself.AndthesaeistrueofMartin.”
Blokvisthelduphishand.
“Canwenotargue”
“Inotarguing.Ijustthinkthatitspatheticthatcreepsalwayshavetohavesoeoneelsetobe.”
“Theyhaveapersonalresponsibility.Wellworkitalloutter.WhatattersisthatMartinwasseventeenwhenGottfrieddied,andhedidnthaveanyooguidehi.Hetriedtocontinueinhisfathersfootsteps.InFebruary1966,inUppsa.”
BlokvistreachedforoneofSanderscigarettes.
“IwontspecuteaboutwhatipulsesGottfriedwastryingtosatisfyorhowhehiselfinterpretedwhathewasdoing.TheressoesortofBiblicalgibberishthatapsychiatristightbeabletofigureout,soethingtodowithpunishentandpurificationinafigurativesense.Itdoesntatterwhatitwas.Hewasacutanddriedserialkiller.
“Gottfriedwantedtokillwoenandclothehisactionsinsoesortofpseudoreligiouscptrap.Martindidntevenpretendtohaveanexcuse.Hewasanisedanddidhiskillingsysteatically.Healsohadoneutintohishobby.Andhewasshrewderthanhisfather.EverytieGottfriedleftabodybehind,itledtoapoliceinvestigationandtheriskthatsoeoneighttrackhidown,oratleastlinktogetherthevariousurders.”
“MartinVangerbuilthishouseintheseventies,”Sandersaidpensively.
“IthinkHenrikentioneditwasin1978.Presuablyheorderedasaferooputriportantfilesorsoesuchpurpose.Hegotasoundproofed,windowlessroowithasteeldoor.”
“Heshadthatroofortwentyfiveyears.”
TheyfellsilentforawhileasBlokvistthoughtaboutwhatatrocitiesusthavetakenpcethereforaquarterofacentury.Sanderdidnotneedtothinkabouttheatter；shehadseenthevideotapes.ShenoticedthatBlokvistwasunconsciouslytouchinghisneck.
“Gottfriedhatedwoenandtaughthissontohatewoenatthesaetieashewasrapinghi.Buttheresalsosoesortofunder船说