Justbefore10:00MonicaSholessetdownhercoffeecup,openedherobile,andpunchedinthenuberofaodeuplinkinHawaii.Afterthreerings,thehandshakingtonebegan.Theodewasconnected.MonicaSholesrepliedbypunchinginasixdigitcodeonherobileandtextingaessagecontaininginstructionstostartaprograethatSanderhadwrittenespeciallyforthispurpose.
InHonolulutheprograecaetolifeonananonyoushoepageonaserverthatwasofficiallylocatedattheuniversity.Theprograewassiple.Itsonlyfunctionwastosendinstructionstostartanotherprograeinanotherserver,whichinthiscasewasaperfectlyordinaryercialISPofferingInterservicesinHolnd.Thefunctionofthatprograe,intu,wastolookfortheirroredharddrivebelongingtoHansErikWennerstrandtakeandoftheprograethatshowedthecontentsofhisapproxiately3,000bankaountsaroundtheworld.
Therewasonlyoneaountofanyinterest.SanderhadnotedthatWennerstrlookedattheaountacoupleoftieseachweek.Ifhetuedonhisputerandlookedatthatparticurfile,everythingwouldappeartobenoral.Theprograeshowedsallchanges,whichweretobeexpected,basedonnoralfluctuationsintheaountduringthepastsixonths.IfduringthenextfortyeighthoursWennerstrshouldgoinandasktohavethefundspaidoutorovedfrotheaount,theprograewoulddutifullyreportthatithadbeendone.Inreality,thechangewouldhaveourredonlyontheirroredharddriveinHolnd.
MonicaSholesswitchedoffherobiletheoentsheheardfourshorttonesconfiringthattheprograehadstarted.
ShelefttheZiertalHotendwalkedovertoBankHauserGeneral,acrossthestreet,whereshehadadeanappointenttoseeHerrWagner,thegeneranager,at10:00.Shewastherethreeinutesaheadofschedule,andshespentthewaitingtieposinginfrontofthesurveilncecaera,whichtookherpictureasshewalkedintothedepartentwithofficesfordiscreetprivateconsultations.
“Ineedsoeassistancewithanuberoftransactions,”shesaidinOxfordEnglish.Whensheopenedherbriefcase,sheletdropapenfrotheZiertalHotel,andHerrWagnerpolitelyretrieveditforher.Shegavehianarchsileandwroteanaountnuberonthenotepadonthedeskinfrontofher.
HerrWagnerpigeonholedherasthespoileddaughter,orpossiblyistress,ofsoebigshot.
“ThereareanuberofaountsattheBankofKroenenfeldintheCayanIsnds.Autoatictransfercanbedonebysequentialclearingcodes,”shesaid.
“FruleinSholes,naturallyyouhavealltherequiredclearingcodes”heasked.
“Abeatürlich,”sherepliedwithsuchaheavyaentthatitwasobviousshehadonlyschoollevelGeran.
Shestartedrecitingseveralseriesofsixteendigitnuberswithoutoncereferringtoanypapers.HerrWagnersawthatitwasgoingtobealongoing,butfora4percentissiononthetransactions,hewaspreparedtoskiplunch,andhewasgoingtohavetorevisehispigeonholeforFruleinSholes.
ShedidnotleaveBankHauserGeneraluntiljustpastnoon,slightlyterthanpnned,andshewalkedbacktotheZiertal.Sheputinanappearanceatthefrontdeskbeforeshewentuptoherrooandtookofftheclothesshehadbought.ShekeptonthetexbreastsbutrepcedthepageboywigwithIreneNessersshoulderlengthblondehair.Sheputonorefailiarclothes:bootswithstilettoheels,bcktrousers,asipleshirt,andanicebckleatherjacketfroMalungsbodeninStockhol.Shestudiedherselfintheirror.Notunkeptbyanyeans,butshewasnolongeranheiress.BeforeIreneNesserlefttheroo,shesortedthroughanuberofbonds,whichshepcedinsideathinportfolio.
At1:05,afewinutesbehindschedule,shewentintoBankDorffann,aboutseventyyardsawayfroBankHauserGeneral.IreneNesserhadadeanappointentinadvancewithaHerrHassenn.Sheapologisedforbeingte.ShespokeipeableGeranwithaNorwegianaent.
“Noprobleatall,Frulein,”HerrHassennsaid.“HowcanIbeofservice”
“Iwouldliketoopenanaount.IhaveanuberofprivatebondsthatIdliketoconvert.”
IreneNesserpcedherportfolioonthedeskinfrontofhi.
HerrHassennexainedthecontents,hastilyatfirst,andthenoreslowly.Heraisedaneyebrowandsiledpolitely.
Sheopenedfivenuberedaounts,whichshecouldaessviatheInterandwhichwereownedbyanapparentlyanonyouspostofficeboxpanyinGibraltar.Abrokerhadsettheupforherfor50,000kronoroftheoneyshehadborrowedfroBlokvist.Shecashedinfiftyofthebondsanddepositedtheoneyintheaounts.Eachbondwasworththeequivalentofoneillionkronor.
HerbusinessattheBankDorffannalsotookoretiethanexpected,sonowshewasevenorebehindonherschedule.Shehadnochancetotakecareofherfinaltransactionsbeforethebanksclosedfortheday.SoIreneNesserretuedtotheMatterhoHotel,whereshespentanhourhangingaroundtoestablishherpresence.Butshehadaheadacheandwenttobedearly.Sheboughtsoeaspirinatthefrontdeskandorderedawakeupcallfor8:00a..Thenshewentbacktoherroo.
Itwascloseto5:00p..,andallthebanksinEuropewereclosedforbusiness.ButthebanksinNorthandSouthAericawereopen.ShebootedupherPoweranduplinkedtothethroughherobile.ShespentanhoureptyingthenuberedaountsshehadopenedatBankDorffannearlierintheday.
Shedividedtheoneyupintosalountsandusediayinvoicesforargenuberoffictionalpaniesaroundtheworld.Whenshewasdone,theoneyhadstrangelyenoughbeentransferredbacktotheBankofKroenenfeldintheCayanIsnds,butthistietoanentirelydifferentaountthantheonefrowhichithadbeenwithdrawnearlierthatday.
IreneNesserconsideredthisfirststagetobesecureandalostipossibletotrace.Sheadeonepayentfrotheaount:thesuofnearlyoneillionkronorwasdepositedintoanaountlinkedtoacreditcardthatshehadinherwallet.TheaountwasownedbyWaspEnterprises,registeredinGibraltar.
SeveralinutesteragirlwithblondepageboyhairlefttheMatterhobyadoorintothehotelbar.MonicaSholeswalkedtotheZiertalHotel,noddedpolitelytothedeskclerk,andtooktheliftuptoherroo.
ThereshetookhertieputtingonMonicaSholesbatunifor,touchingupherakeup,andapplyinganextrayerofskincreatothetattoobeforeshewentdowntothehotelrestaurantandhadaninsanelydeliciousfishdinner.Sheorderedabottleofvintagewihatshehadneverheardofbeforethoughitcost1,200kronor,drankonegss,andnonchantlylefttherestbeforeshewentintothehotelbar.Sheleftabsurdtips,whichcertainlyadethestaffnoticeher.
ShespentquiteawhileallowingherselftobepickedupbyadrunkyoungItalianwithanaristocrataewhichshedidnotbothertoreeber.Theysharedtwobottlesofchapagne,ofwhichshedrankalostonegss.
Around11:00herintoxicatedsuitorleanedforwardandboldlysqueezedherbreast.Sheovedhishanddowntothetable,feelingpleased.Hedidnotseetohavenoticedthathewassqueezingsofttex.Attiestheyweresoloudthattheycausedacertainaountofirritationaongtheotherguests.Justbeforeidnight,whenMonicaSholesnoticedthatahallporterwaskeepingasteeyeonthe,shehelpedherItalianboyfrienduptohisroo.
Whenhewenttothebathroo,shepouredonestgssofwine.SheopenedafoldedpieceofpaperandspikedthewinewithacrushedRohypnolsleepingtablet.Hepassedoutinaiserableheaponthebedwithinainuteaftershedrankatoastwithhi.Sheloosenedhistie,pulledoffhisshoes,anddrewacoveroverhi.Shewipedthebottleclean,thenwashedthegssesinthebathrooandwipedtheofftoobeforegoingbacktoherroo.
MonicaSholeshadbreakfastinherrooat6:00andcheckedoutoftheZiertat6:55.Beforeleavingherroo,shespentfiveinuteswipingofffingerprintsfrothedoorhandles,wardrobes,toilet,telephone,andotherobjectsintheroothatshehadtouched.
IreneNessercheckedoutoftheMatterhoaround8:30,shortlyafterthewakeupcall.Shetookataxiandleftherluggageinalockerattherailwaystation.Thenshespentthenextfewhoursvisitingnineprivatebanks,whereshedistributedsoeoftheprivatebondsfrotheCayanIsnds.By3:00intheafteoonshehadconvertedabout10percentofthebondsintocash,whichshedepositedinthirtynuberedaounts.Therestofthebondsshebundledupandputinasafedepositbox.
IreneNesserwouldneedtoakeseveralorevisitstoZürich,buttherewasnoiediatehurry.
At4:30thatafteoonIreneNessertookataxitotheairport,whereshewentintothediesrooandcutupMonicaSholespassportintolittlepieces,flushingthedownthetoilet.Thecreditcardshealsocutupandputthebitsinfivedifferentrubbishbins,andthescissorstoo.AfterSepteber11itwasnotagoodideatoattractattentionbyhavinganysharpobjectsinyourbaggage.
IreneNessertookLufthansaflightGD890toOsloandcaughttheairportbustotheOslotrainstation,whereshewentintothediesrooandsortedthroughherclothes.ShepcedallitesbelongingtotheMonicaSholespersonathepageboywigandthedesignerclothesinthreepsticbagsandtossedtheintothreedifferentrubbishcontainersandwastebasketsinthetrainstation.SheputtheeptySasonitesuitcaseinanunlockedlocker.Thegoldchainandearringsweredesignerjewellerythatcouldbetraced；theydisappeareddownadraininthestreetoutsidethestation.
Afteraoentofanxioushesitation,IreneNesserdecidedtokeepthefaketexbreasts.
BythenshedidnothaveuchtieandtookonsoefuelintheforofahaburgerfroMcDonaldswhileshetransferredthecontentsoftheluxuryleatherbriefcasetohertravelbag.Whensheleft,theeptybriefcasereainedunderthetable.SheboughtattetogoatakioskandrantocatchthenighttraintoStockhol.Shearrivedasthedoorswereclosing.Shehadedaprivatesleepingberth.
Whenshelockedthedoortoherpartent,shecouldfeelthatforthefirsttieintwodays,heradrenalinelevelshadretuedtonoral.Sheopenedthepartentwindowanddefiedthenosokingregutions.ShestoodtheresippingathercoffeeasthetrainrolledoutofOslo.
Sheranthroughherchecklisttobesurethatshehadfottennodetail.Afteraoentshefrownedandruagedthroughherjacketpockets.ShetookouttheplientarypenfrotheZiertalHotendstudieditforseveralinutesbeforeshetosseditoutofthewindow.
Afterfifteeninutesshecreptintobedandfelsleep.
EPILOGUE:FINALAUDIT
Thursday,Noveber27–Tuesday,Deceber30
MillenniusspecialreportonHansErikWennerstrtookupalloffortysixpagesoftheagazineandexplodedlikeatiebobthestweekofNoveber.TheainstoryappearedunderthejointbylineofMikaelBlokvistandErikaBerger.Forthefirstfewhourstheediadidnotknowhowtohandlethescoop.AsiirstoryjustayearearlierhadresultedinBlokvistbeingconvictedoflibel,andithadalsoapparentlyresultedinhisbeingdisissedfroMillenniu.Forthatreasonhiscredibilitywasregardedasratherlow.Nowthesaeagazinewasbackwithastorybythesaejoualistcontaininguchoreseriousallegationsthanthearticleforwhichhehadrunintosouchtrouble.Soepartsofthereportweresoabsurdthattheydefiedonsense.TheSwedishediasatandwaited,filledwithistrust.
ButthateveningSheonTV4ledoffwithaneleveninutesuaryofthehighlightsinB船说