ThatswhenBlokvistcalled.
Sheusedherownkeytoopenthedoortohisapartent.ItwasthefirsttiesincehisbriefvisittotheofficeatMidsuerthatshewaseetinghifacetoface.Shewentintothelivingrooandfoundananorexicallythingirlsittingonthesofa,wearingawoleatherjacketandwithherfeetproppeduponthecoffeetable.Atfirstshethoughtthegirlwasaboutfifteen,butthatwasbeforeshelookedintohereyes.ShewasstilllookingatthiscreaturewhenBlokvistcaeinwithacoffeepotandcoffeecake.
“Fiveeforbeingpletelyipossible,”hesaid.
Bergertiltedherhead.Therewassoethingdifferentabouthi.Helookedhaggard,thinnerthanshereebered.Hiseyeshadashaedexpression,andforaoentheavoidedhergaze.Shegncedathisneck.Shesawapaleredline,clearlydistinguishable.
“Ivebeenavoidingyou.Itsaverylongstory,andInotproudofyroleinit.ButwelltalkaboutthatterNowIwanttointroduceyoutothisyoungwoan.Erika,thisisLisbethSander.Lisbeth,ErikaBerger,editorinchiefofMillenniuandybestfriend.”
SanderstudiedBergerselegantclothesandselfconfidentanneranddecidedaftertensecondsthatshewasostlikelynotgoingtobeherbestfriend.
Theireetingstedfivehours.Bergertwiceadecallstocancelothereetings.ShespentanhourreadingpartsoftheanuscriptthatBlokvistputinherhands.Shehadathousandquestionsbutrealisedthatitwouldtakeweeksbeforeshegottheanswered.Theiportantthingwastheanuscript,whichshefinallyputdown.Ifevenafractionoftheseciswereaurate,awholenewsituationhadeerged.
BergerlookedatBlokvist.Shehadneverdoubtedthathewasanhonestperson,butnowshefeltdizzyandwonderedwhethertheWennerstraffairhadbrokenhithatwhathehadbeenworkingonwasalfigentofhisiagination.Blokvistwasatthatoentunpackingtwoboxesofprintedoutsourceaterial.Bergerbnched.Shewanted,ofcourse,toknowhowithadeintohispossession.
Ittookawhiletoconvinceherthatthisoddgirl,whohadsaidnotonewordduringtheeeting,hadunliitedaesstoWennerstrsputer.Andnotjusthisshehadalsohackedintotheputersofseveralofhiswyersandcloseassociates.
Berge
19
提供
rsiediatereactionwasthattheycouldnotusetheaterialsinceithadbeenobtainedthroughillegaleans.
But,ofcourse,theycoulduseit.Blokvistpointedoutthattheyhadnoobligationtoexpinhowtheyhadacquiredtheaterial.TheycouldjustaswellhaveasourcewithaesstoWennerstrsputerwhohadbuedeverythingonhisharddrivetoaCD.
FinallyBergerrealisedwhataweaponshehadinherhands.Shefeltexhaustedandstillhadquestions,butshedidnotknoheretobegin.Atstsheleanedbackagainstthesofaandthrewoutherhands.
“Mikael,whathappenedupinHedestad”
Sanderlookedupsharply.Blokvistansweredwithaquestion.
“HowareyougettingalongwithHarrietVanger”
“Fine.Ithink.Iveethertwice.ChristerandIdroveuptoHedestadforaboardeetingstweek.Wegotdrunkonwine.”
“Andtheboardeeting”
“Shekeptherword.”
“Ricky,IknowyourefrustratedthatIvebeenduckingyouandingithexcusesnottotellyouwhathappened.YouandIhaveneverhadsecretsfroeachother,andallofasuddentheressixonthsofylifethatInotpreparedtotellyouabout.”
BergeretBlokvistsgaze.Sheknewhiinsideandout,butwhatshesawinhiseyeswassoethingshehadneverseenbefore.Hewasbeggingheottoask.Sanderwatchedtheirwordlessdialogue.Shewasnopartofit.
“Wasitthatbad”
“Itwasworse.Ivebeendreadingthisconversation.Iproisetotellyou,butIvespentseveralonthssuppressingyfeelingswhileWennerstrhasabsorbedallyattentionIstillnotready.IdpreferitifHarriettoldyouinstead.”
“Whatsthatarkaroundyoueck”
“Lisbethsavedylifeupthere.Ifitwerentforher,Idbedead.”
Bergerseyeswidened.Shestaredatthegirlintheleatherjacket.
“Andrightnowyouneedtoetoanagreeentwithher.Sheisoursource.”
Bergersatforatie,thinking.ThenshedidsoethingthatastonishedBlokvistandstartledSander；shesurprisedevenherself.ThewholetieshehadbeensittingatMikaelslivingrootable,shehadfeltSanderseyesonher.Atacitugirlwithhostilevibrations.
Bergerstoodupandwentaroundthetableandthrewherarsaroundthegirl.Sandersquiredlikeaworabouttobeputonahook.
CHAPTER29
Saturday,Noveber1–Tuesday,Noveber25
SanderwassurfingthroughWennerstrscyberepire.Shehadbeenstaringatherputerscreenforalostelevenhours.TheideathathadaterialisedinsoeunexplorednookofherbrainduringthestweekatSandhanhadgrownintoaanicpreoupation.ForfourweeksshehadisotedherselfinherapartentandignoredanyunicationfroAransky.Shehadspenttwelvehoursadayinfrontofherputer,soedaysore,andtherestofherwakinghoursshehadbroodedoverthesaeproble.
DuringthepastonthshehadhadinterittentcontactwithBlokvist.Hetoowaspreoupied,busyattheMillenniuoffices.Theyhadconferredbytelephoneacoupleoftieseachweek,andshehadkepthiupdatedonWennerstrscorrespondenceandotheractivities.
Forthehundredthtieshewentovereverydetail.Shewasnotafraidthatshehadissedanything,butshewasnotsurethatshehadunderstoodhoweveryoneoftheintricateconnectionsfittedtogether.
Thisuchdiscussedepirewaslikealiving,forless,pulsatinganisthatkeptchangingshape.Itconsistedofoptions,bonds,shares,partnerships,loaninterest,ineinterest,deposits,bankaounts,payenttransfers,andthousandsofothereleents.Anincrediblyrgeproportionoftheassetswasdepositedinpostofficeboxpaniesthatownedoneanother.
ThefinancialpunditsostinftedanalysesoftheWennerstrGroupestiateditsvalueatorethan900billionkronor.Thatwasabluff,oratleastafigurethatwasgrosslyexaggerated.ObviouslyWennerstrhiselfwasbynoeanspoor.Shecalcutedthereassetstobeworthbetween90and100billionkronor,whichwasnothingtosneezeat.Athoroughauditoftheentirecorporationwouldtakeyears.AllinallSanderhadidentifiedclosetothreethousandseparateaountsandbankholdingsallovertheworld.Wennerstrwasdevotinghiselftofraudthatwassoextensiveitwasnolongererelycriinalitwasbusiness.
SoewhereintheWennerstranistherewasalsosubstance.Threeassetskeptshowingupinthehierarchy.ThefixedSwedishassetswereunassaibleandgenuine,avaiblublicscrutiny,bancesheets,andaudits.TheAericanfirwassolid,andabankinNewYorkservedasthebaseforallliquidcapital.ThestorywasinthebusinesswiththepostofficeboxpaniesinpcessuchasGibraltarandCyprusandMacao.Wennerstrwaslikeaclearinghousefortheillegalweaponstrade,oneyunderingforsuspectenterprisesinColobia,andextreelyunorthodoxbusinessesinRussia.
AnanonyousaountintheCayanIsndswasunique；itwaspersonallycontrolledbyWennerstrbutwasnotconnectedtoanypanies.AfewhundredthsofapercentofeverydealthatWennerstradewouldbesiphonedintotheCayanIsndsviathepostofficeboxpanies.
Sanderworkedinatrancelikestate.Theaountclickeailclickbancesheetsclick.Shenoteddownthetesttransfers.ShetrackedasalltransactioninJapantoSingaporeandonviaLuxebourgtotheCayanIsnds.Sheunderstoodhowitworked.Itwasasifshewerepartoftheipulsesincyberspace.Sallchanges.Thetesteail.Onebriefessageofsoewhatperipheralinterestwassentat10:00p..ThePGPencryptionprograewasajokeforanyonewhowasalreadyinsidehisputerandcouldreadtheessageinpintext:
Bergerhaspedarguingabouttheads.HasshegivenupordoesshehavesoethingcookingYoursourceattheeditorialofficesassuredusthattheywereonthebrinkofruin,butitsoundsasiftheyjusthiredanewperson.Findoutwhatshappening.BlokvisthasbeenworkingatSandhanforthepastfeeeks,butnooneknowswhatheswriting.Hesbeenseenattheeditorialofficesthepastfewdays.CanyouarrangeforanadvancecopyofthenextissueHEW
Nothingdraatic.Lethiworry.Yourgooseiscooked,oldan.
At5:30intheoingshetuedoffherputerandgotoutanewpackofcigarettes.Shehaddrunkfour,no,fiveCokesduringthenight,andnowshegotoutasixthandwenttositonthesofa.ShewaswearingonlyknickersandawashedoutcaoufgeshirtadvertisingSoldierofFortuneagazine,withthesloganKILLTHEMALLANDLETGODSORTTHEMOUT.Sherealisedthatshewascold,soshereachedforabnket,whichshewrappedaroundherself.
Shefelthigh,asifshehadconsuedsoeinappropriateandpresuablyillegalsubstance.Shefocusedhergazeonthestreetpoutsidethewindowandsatstillwhileherbrainworkedaspeed.MaaclicksisterclickMiiclickHolgerPalgren.EvilFingers.AndAransky.Thejob.HarrietVanger.Click.MartinVanger.Click.Thegolfclub.Click.ThewyerBjuran.Click.Everysinglefuckingdetailthatshecouldntfetevenifshetried.
ShewonderedwhetherBjuranwouldevertakehisclothesoffinfrontofawoanagain,andifhedid,hoashegoingtoexpinthetattoosonhisstoachAndthenexttiehewenttothedoctorhoouldheavoidtakingoffhisclothes
AndMikaelBlokvist.Click.
Sheconsideredhitobeagoodperson,possiblywithaPracticalPigplexthatwassoetiesalittletooapparent.Andhewasunbearablynaivewithregardtocertaineleentaryoralissues.Hehadanindulgentandfivingpersonalitythatlookedforexpnationsandexcusesforthewaypeoplebehaved,andhewouldnevergetitthattheraptorsoftheworldunderstoodonlyonenguage.Shefeltalostawkwardlyprotectivewhenevershethoughtofhi.
Shedidnotreeberfallingasleep,butshewokeupat9:00a..withacrickinheeckandwithherheadleaningagainstthewallbehindthesofa.Shetotteredtothebedrooandfellbacktosleep.
Itwaswithoutadoubtthebiggeststoryoftheirlives.Forthefirsttieinayearandahalf,Bergerwashappyinthewaythatonlyaneditorwhohasaspectacurscoopintheovencanbe.SheandBlokvistwerepolishingthearticleonesttiewhenSandercalledhionhisobile.
“IfottosaythatWennerstrisstartingtogetw船说