船说 “Iheardhi.ThatwasaboutwhenIgotdowntothebaseent.AndthateansthatweknohatherabortedconversationwithHenrikwastohavebeenabout.”
Blokvistfrowned.“Notreally.Thinkofthechronology.WedontknohenGottfriedfirstrapedhisson,buthetookMartinwithhiwhenheurderedLeaPerssoninUddevalin1962.Hedrownedin1965.Beforethat,heandMartintriedtotalktoHarriet.Wheredoesthatleadus”
“MartinwasnttheonlyohatGottfriedassaulted.HealsoassaultedHarriet.”
“Gottfriedwastheteacher.Martinwasthepupil.HarrietwaswhatTheirpything”
“GottfriedtaughtMartintoscrewhissister.”SanderpointedatthePoroidprints.“Itshardtodeterineherattitudefrothesetwopicturesbecausewecantseeherface,butshestryingtohidefrothecaera.”
“Letssaythatitstartedwhenshewasfourteen,in1964.Shedefendedherselfcouldntaeptit,asMartinputit.ThatwaswhatshewasthreateningtotellHenrikabout.Martinundoubtedlyhadnothingtosayinthisconnection；hejustdidwhathisfathertoldhi.ButheandGottfriedhadforedsoesortofpact,andtheytriedtoinitiateHarrietintoittoo.”
Sandersaid:“InyouotesyouwrotethatHenrikhadletHarrietoveintohishouseinthewinterof1964.”
“Henrikcouldseetherewassoethingwronginherfaily.HethoughtitwasthebickeringandfrictionbetweenGottfriedandIsabelthatwasthecause,andhetookherinsothatshecouldhavesoepeaceandquietandconcentrateonherstudies.”
“AnunforeseenobstacleforGottfriedandMartin.Theycouldntgettheirhandsonheraseasilyorcontrolherlife.ButeventuallyWheredidtheassaulttakepce”
“ItusthavebeenatGottfriedscabin.Ialostpositivethatthesepicturesweretakenthereitshouldbepossibletocheck.Thecabinisinaperfectlocation,isotedandfarfrothevilge.ThenGottfriedgotdrunkonesttieanddiedinaostbanalway.”
“SoHarrietsfatherhadatteptedtohavesexwithher,butyguessisthathedidntinitiateherintothekilling.”
Blokvistrealisedthatthiswasaweakpoint.HarriethadadenoteofthenaesofGottfriedsvictis,pairingtheithBiblequotes,butherinterestintheBibledidnoteergeuntilthestyear,andbythenGottfriedwasalreadydead.Hepaused,tryingtoeithalogicalexpnation.
“SoetiealongthewayHarrietdiscoveredthatGottfriedhadnotonlyittedincest,buthewasalsoaserialsexurderer,”hesaid.
“Wedontknohenshefoundoutabouttheurders.ItcouldhavebeenrightbeforeGottfrieddrowned.Itightalsohavebeenafterhedrowned,ifhehadadiaryorhadsavedpresscuttingsaboutthe.Soethingputheronhistrack.”
“ButthatwasntwhatshewasthreateningtotellHenrik,”Blokvistsaid.
“ItwasMartin,”Sandersaid.“Herfatherwasdead,butMartinwasgoingonabusingher.”
“Exactly.”
“Butitwasayearbeforeshetookanyaction.”
“Whatwouldyoudoifyoufoundoutthatyourfatherwasaurdererwhohadbeenrapingyourbrother”
“Idkillthefucker,”SandersaidinsuchasobertohatBlokvistbelievedher.HereeberedherfaceasshewasattackingMartinVanger.Hesiledjoylessly.
“OK,butHarrietwasntlikeyou.Gottfrieddiedbeforesheanagedtodoanything.Thatalsoakessense.WhenGottfrieddied,IsabelsentMartintoUppsa.HeighthaveehoeforChristasorotherholidays,butduringthatfollowingyearhedidntseeHarrietveryoften.Shewasabletogetsoedistancefrohi.”
“AndshestartedstudyingtheBible.”
“Andinlightofwhatwenowknow,itdidnthavetobeforanyreligiousreasons.Maybeshesiplywantedtoknohatherfatherhadbeenupto.ShebroodedoverituntiltheChildrensDaycelebrationin1966.ThensuddenlysheseesherbrotheronJvgsgatanandrealisesthathesback.Wedontknowiftheytalkedtoeachotherorifhesaidanything.Butnoatterwhathappened,HarriethadanurgetogostraighthoeandtalktoHenrik.”
“Andthenshedisappeared.”
Aftertheyhadgoneoverthechainofevents,itwasnothardtounderstandwhattherestofthepuzzleusthavelookedlike.BlokvistandSanderpackedtheirbags.Beforetheyleft,BlokvistcalledFrodeandtoldhithatheandSanderhadtogoawayforawhile,butthatheabsolutelywantedtoseeHenrikVangerbeforetheyleft.
BlokvistneededtoknohatFrodehadtoldHenrik.TheansoundedsostressedonthetelephohatBlokvistfeltconceedforhi.FrodesaidthathehadonlytoldhithatMartinhaddiedinacaraident.
ItwasthunderingagainwhenBlokvistparkedoutsideHedestadHospital,andtheskywasfilledonceorewithheavyrainclouds.Hehurriedacrossthecarparkjustasitstartedtorain.
Vangerwaswearingabathrobe,sittingatatablebythewindowofhisroo.Hisillnesshadleftitsark,butVangerhadregainedsoecolourinhisfaceandlookedasifhewereonthepathtorecovery.Theyshookhands.Blokvistaskedthenursetoleavethealoneforafewinutes.
“Youvebeenavoidinge,”Vangersaid.
Mikaelnodded.“Onpurpose.Yourfailydidntwantetoeatall,buttodayeveryoneisoveratIsabelshouse.”
“PoorMartin,”Vangersaid.
“Henrik.YougaveeanassignenttodigupthetruthaboutwhathappenedtoHarriet.Didyouexpectthetruthtobepainless”
Theoldanlookedathi.Thenhiseyeswidened.
“Martin”
“Hespartofthestory.”
Henrikclosedhiseyes.
“NowIhavegotaquestionforyou,”Blokvistsaid.
“Telle.”
“DoyoustillwanttoknohathappenedEvenifittusouttobepainfundevenifthetruthisworsethanyouiagined”
HenrikgaveBlokvistalonglook.Thenhesaid,“Iwanttoknow.Thatwasthepointofyourassignent.”
“OK.IthinkIknohathappenedtoHarriet.ButtheresonestpieceofthepuzzleissingbeforeIsure.”
“Telle.”
“No.Nottoday.WhatIwantyoutodorightnowistorest.Thedoctorssaythatthecrisisisoverandthatyouregettingbetter.”
“Dontyoutreatelikeachild,youngan.”
“Ihaventworkeditalloutyet.WhatIhaveisatheory.Iagoingouttofindthestpieceofthepuzzle.Thenexttieyouseee,Illtellyouthewholestory.Itaytakeawhile,butIwantyoutoknowthatIingbackandthatyoullknowthetruth.”
Sanderpulledatarpaulinoverherotorcycleandleftitontheshadysideofthecabin.ThenshegotintoBlokvistsborrowedcar.Thethunderstorhadretuedwithrenewedforce,andjustsouthofGvletherewassuchafiercedownpourthatBlokvistcouldhardlyseetheroad.Justtobesafe,hepulledintoapetrolstation.Theywaitedfortheraintoletup,sotheydidnotarriveinStockholuntil7:00thatevening.BlokvistgaveSanderthesecuritycodetohisbuildinganddroppedheroffatthecentraltunnelbana.Hisapartentseeedunfailiar.
HevacuuedanddustedwhileSanderwenttoseePgueinSundbyberg.ShearrivedatBlokvistsapartentataroundidnightandspentteninutesexainingeverynookandcrannyofit.Thenshestoodatthewindowforalongtie,lookingattheviewfacingtheSlussenlocks.
Theygotundressedandslept.
AtnoonthenextdaytheyndedatLondonsGatwickAirport.Theywereetwithrain.BlokvisthadedarooattheHotelJaesnearHydePark,anexcellenthotelparedtoalltheonestarpcesinBayswaterwherehehadalwaysendeduponhisprevioustripstoLondon.
At5:00p..theywerestandingatthebarwhenayoungishancaetowardsthe.Hewasalostbald,withablondbeard,andhewaswearingjeansandajacketthatwastoobigforhi.
“Wasp”
“Trinity”shesaid.Theynoddedtoeachother.HedidnotaskforBlokvistsnae.
TrinityspartnerwasintroducedasBobtheDog.HewasinanoldVWvanaroundthecoer.Theyclibedinthroughtheslidingdoorsandsatdownonfoldingchairsfastenedtothesides.WhileBobnavigatedthroughtheLondontraffic,WaspandTrinitytalked.
“Pguesaidthishadtodowithsoecrashbangjob.”
“Telephoappingandcheckingeailsinaputer.Itightgofast,oritcouldtakeacoupleofdays,dependingonhowuchpressureheapplies.”LisbethgesturedtowardsBlokvistwithherthub.“Canyoudoit”
“Dodogshavefleas”Trinitysaid.
AnitaVangerlivedinaterracehouseintheattractivesuburbofSt.Albans,aboutanhoursdrivenorth.Frothevantheysawherarrivehoeandunlockthedoorsoetieafter7:30thatevening.Theywaiteduntilshehadsettled,hadhersupper,andwassittinginfrontoftheTVbeforeBlokvistrangthedoorbell.
AnalostidenticalcopyofCeciliaVangeropenedthedoor,herexpressionpolitelyquestioning.
“Hi,Anita.MynaeisMikaelBlokvist.HenrikVangeraskedetoeandseeyou.IassuethatyouveheardthenewsaboutMartin.”
Herexpressionchangedfrosurprisetowariness.SheknewexactlywhoMikaelBlokvistwas.ButHenriksnaeeantthatshewasforcedtoopenthedoor.SheshowedBlokvistintoherlivingroo.HenoticedasignedlithographbyAndersZooverthefirepce.Itwasaltogetheracharingroo.
“Fiveeforbotheringyououtoftheblue,butIhappenedtobeinSt.Albans,andItriedtocallyouduringtheday.”
“Iunderstand.Pleasetellewhatthisisabout”
“Areyoupnningtobeatthefuneral”
“No,asaatteroffact,Inot.MartinandIwerentclose,andanyway,Icantgetawayattheoent.”
AnitaVangerhadstayedawayfroHedestadforthirtyyears.AfterherfatherovedbacktoHedebyIsnd,shehadhardlysetfootthere.