“Canyoulivewiththat,Mikael”Sandersaid.
Blokvistfeltonlydespair.Hisprofessionallifehehaddevotedtouncoveringthingswhichotherpeoplehadtriedtohide,andhecouldnotbepartytothecoveringupoftheappallingcriesittedinMartinVangersbaseent.Hewhohadbastedhiscolleaguesfootpublishingthetruth,herehesat,discussing,negotiatingeven,theostacabrecoveruphehadeverheardof.
Hesatinsilenceforalongtie.Thenhenoddedhisassent.
“Sobeit,”Frodesaid.“AndwithregardtoHenriksofferforfinancialpensation”
“Hecanshoveituphisbackside,andDirch,Iwantyoutoleavenow.Iunderstandyourposition,butrightnowIsofuriouswithyouandHenrikandHarrietthatifyoustayanylongerweightnotbefriendsanyore.”
Frodeadenoovetogo.
“Icantleaveyet.Inotdone.Ihaveanotheressagetodeliver,andyourenotgoingtolikethisoneeither.HenrikisinsistingthatItellyoutonight.Youcangouptothehospitandfyhitoorrowoingifyouwish.”
Blokvistlookedupandstaredathi.
Frodewenton.“ThishasgottobethehardestthingIveeverdoneinylife.ButIthinkthatonlypletecandourwithallthecardsonthetablecansavethesituationnow.”
“Soitscandouratst,isit”
“WhenHenrikconvincedyoutotakethejobstChristas,”Dirchsaid,ignoringhissarcas,“neitherhenorIthoughtthatanythingwouldeofit.Thatwasexactlywhathesaid,buthewantedtogiveitonesttry.Hehadanalysedyoursituation,particurlywiththehelpofthereportthatFrkenSanderputtogether.Hepyedonyourisotion,heofferedgoodpay,andheusedtherightbait.”
“Wennerstr.”
Frodenodded.
“Youwerebluffing”
“No,no,”Frodesaid.
Sanderraisedaneyebroithinterest.
“Henrikisgoingtoakegoodoneverythingheproised.HesarranginganinterviewandisgoingpublicwithadirectassaultonWennerstr.Youcanhaveallthedetailster,butroughlythesituationisthis:whenWennerstrwaseployedinthefinancedepartentoftheVangerCorporation,hespentseveralillionkronorspecutingonforeigncurrency.Thiswaslongbeforeforeignexchangefuturesbecaetherage.Hedidthiswithoutauthority.Onedeafteranotherwentbad,andhewassittingtherewithalossofsevenillionkronorthathetriedtocoverup.Partlybycookingthesandpartlybyspecutingevenharder.Itinevitablycaetolightandhewassacked.”
“Didheakeanyprofithiself”
“Ohyes,headeoffwithabouthalfaillionkronor,whichironicallyenoughbecaetheseedoneyfortheWennerstrGroup.Wehavedocuentationforallofthis.Youcanusetherationhoweveryoulike,andHenrikwillbackuptheausationspublicly.But”
“But,anditsabigbut,Dirch,therationisworthless,”Blokvistsaid,singhisfistonthetable.“Itallhappenedthirtyplusyearsagoanditsaclosed.”
“YoullgetconfirationthatWennerstrisacrook.”
“ThatwilnnoyWennerstrwhenitesout,butitwontdaagehianyorethanadirecthitfroapeashooter.HesgoingtoshufflethedeckbyputtingoutapressreleasesayingthatHenrikVangerisanoldhasbeenwhosstilltryingtostealsoebusinessfrohi,andthenhellprobablycithathewasactingonordersfroHenrik.Evenifhecantprovehisinnocence,hecanydownenoughsokescreensthatnoonewilltakethestoryseriously.”
Frodelookedunhappy.
“Youconnede,”Blokvistsaid.
“Thatwasntourintention.”
“Ibeyself.Iwasgraspingatstraws,andIshouldhaverealiseditwassoethinglikethat.”Heughedabruptly.“Henrikisanoldshark.HewassellingaproductandtoldewhatIwantedtohear.Itstieyouwent,Dirch.”
“MikaelIsorrythat”
“Dirch.Go.”
SanderdidnotknohethertogoovertoBlokvistortoleavehiinpeace.Hesolvedtheprobleforherbypickinguphisjacketwithoutawordandsingthedoorbehindhi.
Fororethananhourshewaitedrestlesslyinthekitchen.ShefeltsobadthatsheclearedthetableandwashedthedishesarolesheusuallylefttoBlokvist.Shewentregurlytothewindowtoseeiftherewasanysignofhi.Finallyshewassonervousthatsheputonherjacketandwentouttolookforhi.
Firstshewalkedtothearina,wherelightswerestilloninthecabins,buttherewasnosignofhi.Shefollowedthepathalongthewaterwheretheyusuallytooktheireveningwalks.MartinVangershousewasdarkandalreadylookedabandoned.Shewentouttotherocksatthepointwheretheyhadoftensattalking,andthenshewentbackhoe.Hestillhadnotretued.
Shewenttothechurch.Stillnosign.Shewasatalosstoknohattodo.Thenshewentbacktoherotorcycleandgotafshlightfrothesaddlebagandsetoffalongthewateragain.Ittookherawhiletowindherwayalongthehalfovergrownroad,andevenlongertofindthepathtoGottfriedscabin.Itlooedoutofthedarknessbehindsoetreeswhenshehadalostreachedit.Hewasnotontheporchandthedoorwaslocked.
Shehadtuedtowardsthevilgewhenshepedandwentback,allthewayouttothepoint.ShecaughtsightofBlokvistssilhouetteinthedarknessontheendofthejettywhereHarrietVangerhaddrownedherfather.Shesighedwithrelief.
Heheardherasshecaeoutontothejetty,andhetuedaround.Shesatdownnexttohiwithoutaword.Atsthebrokethesilence.
“Fivee.Ihadtobealoneforawhile.”
“Iknow.”
Shelittwocigarettesandgavehione.Blokvistlookedather.Sanderwastheostasocialhuanbeinghehadeveret.Usuallysheignoredanyatteptonhisparttotalkaboutanythingpersonal,andshehadneveraeptedasingleexpressionofsypathy.Shehadsavedhislife,andnowshehadtrackedhiouthereinthenight.Heputanararoundher.
“NowIknohatypriceis,”hesaid.“Weveforsakenthosegirls.Theyregoingtoburythewholestory.EverythinginMartinsbaseentwillbevacuuedintooblivion.”
Sanderdidnotanswer.
“Erikawasright,”hesaid.“IwouldhavedoneoregoodifIdgooSparaonthandthenehoerefreshedandtakenonWennerstr.Ivewastedalltheseonths.”
“IfyoudgooSpain,MartinVangerwouldstillbeoperatinginhisbaseent.”
Theysattogetherforalongtiebeforehesuggestedthattheygohoe.
BlokvistfelsleepbeforeSander.Sheyawakelisteningtohibreathe.Afterawhileshewenttothekitchenandsatinthedarkonthekitchenbench,sokingseveralcigarettesasshebrooded.ShehadtakenitrantedthatVangerandFrodeightconhi.Itwasintheiature.ButitwasBlokvistsproble,nothers.Orwasit
Atstsheadeadecision.Shestubbedouthercigaretteandwentintothebedroo,tuedonthep,andshookMikaewake.Itwas2:30intheoing.
“What”
“Ivegotaquestion.Situp.”
Blokvistsatup,drunkwithsleep.
“Whenyouwereindicted,whydidntyoudefendyourself”
Blokvistrubbedhiseyes.Helookedattheclock.
“Itsalongstory,Lisbeth.”
“Ivegottie.Telle.”
Hesatforalongwhile,ponderingwhatheshouldsay.Finallyhedecidedonthetruth.
“Ihadnodefence.Therationinthearticlewaswrong.”
“WhenIhackedyourputerandreadyoureailexchangewithBerger,therewereplentyofreferencestotheWennerstraffair,butyoutwokeptdiscussingpracticaldetailsaboutthetriandnothingaboutwhatactuallyhappened.Whatwasitthatwentwrong”
“Lisbeth,Icantlettherealstorygetout.Ifellintoatrap.ErikaandIarequiteclearthatitwoulddaageourcredibilityevenfurtherifwetoldanyonewhatreallyhappened.”
“Listen,KalleBlokvist,yesterdayafteoonyousatherepreachingaboutfriendshipandtrustandst
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uff.Inotgoinutthestoryonthe.”
Blokvistprotested.Itwastheiddleofthenight.Hecouldnotfacethinkingaboutthewholethingnow.Shewentonstubbolysittingthereuntilhegavein.Hewenttothebathrooandwashedhisfaceandputthecoffeepoton.ThenhecaebacktothebedandtoldherabouthowhisoldschoolfriendRobertLindberg,inayellowMr30intheguestarinainArho,hadarousedhiscuriosity.
“Youeanthatyourbuddywaslying”
“No,notatall.Hetoldeexactlywhatheknew,andIcouldverifyeachandeverywordindocuentsfrotheauditatSIB.IevenwenttoPondandphotographedthesheetetalshackwherethishugebigMinospanywashoused.Iinterviewedseveralofthepeoplewhohadbeeneployedatthepa船说