“IwanttoknohathappenedtoHarrietVanger,Anita.Itstieforthetruth.”
“HarrietIdontknohatyouean.”
Blokvistsiledatherfeignedsurprise.
“YouwereHarrietsclosestfriendinthefaily.Youweretheoneshetuedtowithherhorriblestory.”
“Icantthinkwhatyouretalkingabout,”Anitasaid.
“Anita,youwereinHarrietsroothatday.Ihavephotographicproofofit,inspiteofwhatyousaidtoInspectorMorell.InafewdaysIgoingtoreporttoHenrik,andhelltakeitfrothere.Itwouldbebettertotellewhathappened.”
AnitaVangerstoodup.
“Getoutofyhousethisinute.”
Blokvistgotup.
“Soonerorteryouregoingtohavetotalktoe.”
“Ihavenothingnow,noreverwillhave,anythingtosaytoyou.”
“Martinisdead,”Blokvistsaid.“YouneverlikedMartin.IthinkthatyouovedtoLondonnotonlytoavoidseeingyourfatherbutalsosothatyouwouldnthavetoseeMartin.ThateansthatyoualsoknewaboutMartin,andtheonlyonewhocouldhavetoldyouwasHarriet.Thequestionis:whatdidyoudowiththatknowledge”
AnitaVangersedherfrontdoorinhisface.
Sandersiledwithsatisfactionassheunfastenedtheicrophonefrounderhisshirt.
“Shepickedupthetelephoneabouttwentysecondsaftershenearlytookthedooroffitshinges,”shesaid.
“ThecountrycodeisAustralia,”Trinitysaid,puttingdowntheearphonesonthelittledeskinthevan.“Ineedtochecktheareacode.”Heswitchedonhis.“OK,shecalledthefollowingnuber,whichisatelephoneinatowncalledTennantCreek,northofAliceSpringsintheNortheTerritory.Doyouwanttoheartheconversation”
Blokvistnodded.“WhattieisitinAustraliarightnow”
“About5:00intheoing.”Trinitystartedthedigitalpyerandattachedaspeaker.Mikaelcountedeightringsbeforesoeonepickedupthetelephone.TheconversationtookpceinEnglish.
“Hi.Itse.”
“H,IknowIaoingpersonbut”
“IthoughtofcallingyouyesterdayMartinisdead.Heseestohavedrivenhiscarintoatruckthedaybeforeyesterday.”
Silence.Thenwhatsoundedlikesoeoneclearingtheirthroat,butitighthavebeen:“Good.”
“Butwehavegotaproble.AdisgustingjoualistthatHenrikdugupfrosoewherehasjustknockedonydoor,hereinSt.Albans.Hesaskingquestionsaboutwhathappenedin1966.Heknowssoething.”
Againsilence.Thenaandingvoice.
“Anita.Putdownthetelephonerightnow.Wecanthaveanycontactforawhile.”
“But”
“Writealetter.Tellewhatsgoingon.”Thentheconversationwasover.
“Sharpchick,”Sandersaid.
Theyretuedtotheirhoteljustbefore11:00.ThefrontdeskanagerhelpedthetoreserveseatsonthenextavaibleflighttoAustralia.Soontheyhadreservationsonapneleavingat7:05thefollowingevening,destinationMelboue,changinginSingapore.
ThiswasSandersfirstvisittoLondon.TheyspenttheoingwalkingfroCoventGardenthroughSoho.TheypedtohaveacaffetteonOldptonStreet.Around3:00theywerebackatthehoteltocollecttheirluggage.WhileBlokvistpaidthebill,Sandertuedonherobile.Shehadatextessage.
“Aranskysaystocaltonce.”
Sheusedatelephoneinthelobby.Blokvist,whowasstandingashortdistanceaway,noticedSandertutohiwithafrozenexpressiononherface.Hewasathersideatonce.
“Whatisit”
“Myotherdied.Ihavetogohoe.”
Sanderlookedsounhappythatheputhisarsaroundher.Shepushedhiaway.
Theysatinthehotelbar.WhenBlokvistsaidthathewouldcancelthereservationstoAustraliaandgobacktoStockholwithher,sheshookherhead.
“No,”shesaid.“Wecantscrewupthejobnow.Youllhavetogobyyourself.”
Theypartedoutsidethehotel,eachoftheakingforadifferentairport.
CHAPTER26
Tuesday,July15–Thursday,July17
BlokvistflewfroMelbouroAliceSprings.Afterthathehadtochooseeithertocharterapneortorentacarforthereaining250iletripnorth.Hechosetogobycar.
AnunknownpersonwiththebiblicalsignatureofJoshua,whowaspartofPguesorpossiblyTrinitysysteriousinteationalwork,hadleftanenvelopeforhiatthecentralrationdeskatMelboueairport.
ThenuberthatAnitahadcalledbelongedtoapcecalledCochranFar.Itwasasheepstation.AnarticlepulledofftheIntergaveasnapshotguide.
Australia:poputionof18illion；sheepfarers,53,000；approx.120illionheadofsheep.Theexportofwoopprox.3.5billiondolrsannually.Australiaexports700illiontonsofuttonandb,plusskinsforclothing.binedeatandwoolproductiononeofthecountrysostiportantindustries
CochranFar,founded1891byJereyCochran,Australiasfifthrgestagriculturalenterprise,approx60,000Merinosheep.Thestationalsoraisedcattle,pigs,andchickens.CochranFarhadipressiveannualexportstotheU.S.A.,Japan,China,andEurope.
Thepersonalbiographieswerefascinating.
In1972CochranFarpasseddownfroRayondCochrantoSpencerCochran,educ.Oxford.Spencerd.in1994,andfarrunbywidow.Blokvistfoundherinablurry,lowresolutionphotographdownloadedfrotheCochranFarwebsite.Itshowedawoanwithshortblondehair,herfacepartiallyhidden,shearingasheep.
AordingtoJoshuasnote,thecouplehadarriedinItalyin1971.
HeaewasAnitaCochran.
BlokvistpedoveightinadriedupholeofatownwiththehopefulnaeofWannado.Atthelocalpubheateroastuttonanddownedthreepintsalongwithsoelocalswhoallcalledhi“ate.”
LastthingbeforehewenttobedhecalledBergerinNewYork.
“Isorry,Ricky,butIvebeensobusythatIhaventhadtietocall.”
“Whatthehellisgoingon”sheexploded.“ChristercalledandtoldethatMartinVangerhadbeenkilledinacaraident.”
“Itsalongstory.”
“AndwhydontyouansweryourtelephoneIvebeencallinglikecrazyfortwodays.”
“Itdoesntworkhere.”
“Whereishere”
“RightnowIaboutonehundredtwentyfiveilesnorthofAliceSprings.InAustralia,thatis.”
MikaelhadrarelyanagedtosurpriseBerger.Thistieshewassilentfoearlytenseconds.
“AndwhatareyoudoinginAustraliaIfIightask.”
“Ifinishingupthejob.Illbebackinafewdays.IjustcalledtotellyouthatyworkforHenrikVangerisalostdone.”
HearrivedatCochranFararoundnoonthefollowingday,tobetoldthatAnitaCochranwasatasheepstationnearapcecalledMakawakaseventyfiveilesfartherwest.
Itwas4:00intheafteoonbythetieMikaelfoundhiswaythereondustybackroads.HepedatagatewheresoesheepranchersweregatheredaroundthehoodofaJeephavingcoffee.BlokvistgotoutandexpinedthathewaslookingforAnitaCochran.Theyalltuedtowardsauscuryoungan,clearlythedecisionakerofthegroup.HewasbarechestedandverybrownexceptforthepartsnorallycoveredbyhisTshirt.Hewaswearingawidebriedhat.
“Thebossisabouteighteenilesoffinthatdirection,”hesaid,pointingwithhisthub.
HecastascepticalgnceatBlokvistsvehicleandsaidthatitightnotbesuchagoodideatogooninthatJapanesetoycar.Finallythetannedathle船说