“Howdidshetakeit”
“Shewasveryshaken.Shewentabroadforawhile.Iwasevenafraidshewouldnteback.”
“Butshedid.”
“MartinwasoneofthefewpeopleinourfailythatCeciliaalwaysgotalongwith.Itwasveryhardforhertofindoutthetruthabouthi.Shealsoknowsnohatyoudidforthefaily.”
Blokvistshrugged.
“Sothankyou,Mikael,”Vangersaid.
“Besides,IcouldntwritethestorybecauseIvehadituptoherewiththeVangerfaily.Buttelle,howdoesitfeeltobeCEOagain”
“Itsonlyteporary,butIwishIwereyounger.Ionlyworkingthreehoursaday.Alltheeetingsareheldinthisroo,andDirchhassteppedinagainasyenforcerifanyoneactsup.”
“Thejuniorexecutivesustbequakingintheirboots.IttookeawhiletorealisethatDirchwasntjustanoldsweetieofafinanciadviserbutalsosoeonewhosolvesproblesforyou.”
“Exactly.ButalldecisionsareadewithHarriet,andshestheonewhosdoingthelegworkintheoffice.”
“Howarethingsgoingforher”
“Sheinheritedbothherbrothersandherothersshares.Shecontrolsabout33percentofthecorporation.”
“Isthatenough”
“IdontknoxanderhasseenthathehasachancetoakeanipactandhasalliedhiselfwithBirger.MybrotherHaraldhascancerandwontliveuchlonger.Hewastheonlyreainingpersonwithrgeshareholdingsof7percent,whichhischildrenwillinherit.CeciliaandAnitawillbeonHarrietsside.”
“Thentogetheryoullcontrol,what,45percent.”
“Thatkindofvotingcartelhasneverexistedwithinthefailybefore.Plentyofshareholderswithoneandtwopercentwillvoteagainstus.HarrietisgoingtosueedeasCEOinFebruary.”
“Thatwontakeherhappy.”
“No,butitsnecessary.Wehavetotakeinsoenewpartnersandnewblood.WealsohavethechancetocolboratewithherpanyinAustralia.Therearepossibilities.”
“WheresHarriettoday”
“Youreoutofluck.ShesinLondon.Butshewouldveryuchliketoseeyou.”
“IllseeheratourboardeetinginJanuaryifshesgoingtotakeyourpce.”
“Iknow.”
“IthinkthatsherealisesthatIwillneverdiscusswhathappenedinthesixtieswithanyoneexceptforErikaBerger,andIdontseewhyErikaneedstoknow.”
“Shedoes.Youreapersonwithorals,Mikael.”
“Butalsotellherthateverythingshedoesfronowoncouldendupintheagazine.TheVangerCorporationwonthaveafreepassfroscrutiny.”
“Illwaher.”
BlokvistleftVangerwhenhestartedtodozeoff.Hepackedhisbelongingsintotwosuitcases.Asheclosedthedoortothecottageforthesttie,hepausedandthenwentovertoCeciliashouseandknocked.Shewasnothoe.Hetookouthispocketcalendar,toreoutapage,andwrote:Iwishyouallthebest.Trytofivee.Mikael.Heputthenoteinherletterbox.AnelectrihristascandleshoneinthekitchenwindowofMartinVangerseptyhouse.
HetookthesttrainbacktoStockhol.
DuringtheholidaysSandertunedouttherestoftheworld.Shedidnotanswerhertelephoneandshedidnottuonherputer.Shespenttwodayswashingundry,scrubbing,andcleaningupherapartent.Yearoldpizzaboxesandnewspaperswerebundledupandcarrieddownstairs.Shedraggedoutatotalofsixbckrubbishbagsandtwentypaperbagsfullofnewspapers.Shefeltasifshehaddecidedtostartanewlife.Shethoughtaboutbuyinganewapartentwhenshefoundsoethingsuitablebutfoowheroldpcewouldbeoredazzlinglycleanthanshecouldeverreeber.
Thenshesatasifparalysed,thinking.Shehadneverinherlifefeltsuchalonging.ShewantedMikaelBlokvisttoringthedoorbelndwhatthenLiftherofftheground,holdherinhisarsPassionatelytakeherintothebedrooandtearoffherclothesNo,shereallyjustwantedhispany.Shewantedtohearhisaythathelikedherforwhoshewas.Thatshewassoeonespecialinhisworldandinhislife.Shewantedhitogivehersoegestureoflove,notjustoffriendshipandpanionship.Iflippingout,shethought.
Shehadnofaithinherself.Blokvistlivedinaworldpoputedbypeoplewithrespectablejobs,peoplewithorderlylivesandlotsofgrownuppoints.Hisfriendsdidthings,wentonTV,andshapedtheheadlines.WhatdoyouneedeforSandersgreatestfear,whichwassohugeandsobckthatitwasofphobicproportions,wasthatpeoplewouldughatherfeelings.Andallofasuddenallhercarefullyconstructedselfconfidenceseeedtocruble.
Thatswhensheadeupherind.Ittookherseveralhourstoobilisethenecessarycourage,butshehadtoseehiandtellhihowshefelt.
Anythingelsewouldbeunbearable.
Sheneededsoeexcusetoknockonhisdoor.ShehadnotgivenhianyChristaspresent,butsheknehatshewasgoingtobuy.Inajunkshopshehadseenanuberofetadvertisingsignsfrothefifties,withebossediages.OneofthesignsshowedElvisPresleywithaguitaronhishipandacartoonballoonwiththewordsHEARTBREAKHOTEL.Shehadnosenseforinteriordesign,butevenshecouldtellthatthesignwouldbeperfectforthecabininSandhan.Itcost780kronor,andonprincipleshehaggledandgotthepriceknockeddownto700.Shehaditwrapped,putitunderherar,andheadedovertohispceonBelnsgatan.
AtHosgatanshehappenedtogncetowardsKaffebarandsawBlokvistingoutwithBergerintow.Hesaidsoething,andsheughed,puttingherararoundhiswaistandkissinghischeek.TheytueddownBnkyrkagataninthedirectionofBelnsgatan.Theirbodynguageleftnorooforisinterpretationsitwasobviouswhattheyhadinind.
ThepainwassoiediateandsofiercethatLisbethpedinidstride,incapableofoveent.Partofherwantedtorushafterthe.ShewantedtotaketheetalsignandusethesharpedgetocleaveBergersheadintwo.Shedidnothingasthoughtsswirledthroughherind.Analysisofconsequences.Finallyshecaleddown.
“Whatapatheticfoolyouare,Sander,”shesaidoutloud.
Shetuedonherheendwenthoetoheewlyspotlessapartent.AsshepassedZinkensda,itstartedtosnow.ShetossedElvisintoadupster.
ANOTEABOUTTHEAUTHOR
StiegLarssonwastheeditorinchiefoftheantiracistagazineExpo,andfortwentyyearsthegraphicseditorataSwedishnewsagency.Aleadingexpertonantideocratic,rightwingextreistandNazianizations,hediedin2004.
THISISABORZOI
PUBLISHEDBYALFREDA.KNOPF
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Allrightsreserved.PublishedintheUnitedStatesbyAlfredA.Knopf,adivisionofRandoHouse,Inc.,NewYork.
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OriginallypublishedinSwedenasMnSoHatarKvinnorbyNorstedts,Stockhol,in2005.PublishedwithagreeentofNorstedtsAgency.Copyright2005byNorstedtsAgency.ThistranstionoriginallypublishedinGreatBritainbyMacLehosePress,aniprintofQuercus,London.PublishedbyarrangeentwithQuercusPublishingPLC.
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