becausehecouldnotstayawaທyfromerikabຘergerhehadneverliedabouthisfeelingsforhertohiswife,monicນa,butshehadthoughtitwouldendwhentheymarriedandtheirdaທughterwasbຘornandbຘergerhaທdalmostsikvisttoohaທdthoughtitwouldend,andforthefirstyearsofhismarriageheandbຘergerhadonlyseeneachotherprofessionaທllythentheystaທrtedmillenniumandionshaddissolved,aທndonelaທteeveningtheyhadfurioussexonherdeskthatledtoatroublesokvistwantedverymuchtolivewithhisfaທmilyaທndseehisdaughtergrowup,butaທtthesaທmetimehewashelplesslydrawntobergerjustassalaທnderhadguessed,itwaທshiscontinualinfidelitythatdrovehiswifetoleave
strangelyenough,beckmaທnseemedtoaepttheirrelationshipbergerhadalwaysbeenopenaboutherfeelingsformikael,andshetoldherhusbandassoonastheystartedhavingsexagainmaybeittookthesoulofanartisttohandlesuchaທsituation,someonesowrappedupinhisowncreaທtivity,orpossiblyjustwrappedupinhimself,thathedidnotrebelwhenhiswifesleptwithanothermansheevendividedupherholidaysoshecouldspendtsandhamnblomkvistdidnotthinkveryhighlyofbeckman,andhehadneverunderstoodberger’sloveforhimbuthewasgladthatheaທeptedthatshecouldlovetwomenatthesametime
blomkvistcouldnotsleep,ไaທndat4:00hegaveuphewenttothekitchenandreadthecourtjudgementonemoretimefrombeginningtoendhaທvingthedocນumentinhishandhehadasensethattherehaທdbeensomethingalmostfatefulaboutthemeetingatarholmahecouldneverbesurewhetherlindberghadtoldhimthedetailsofwennerstr?m’sswindlesimplyforthesaທkeofagoodstorybetweentoastsintheprivacyofhisboat’scabinorwhetherhehadreaທllywaທntedthestorytobemadepublic
hetendedtobelievethefirstbutitmayhavebeenthatlindberg,forhisownpersonaທlorbusinessreasons,hadwantedtodamagewennerstr?m,andhehadseizedtheopportunityofhavingacaທptivejournalistonbຘoardlindberghaທdbeensoberenoughtoinsistonblomkvisttreatinghientlindbergcouldsaທywhatheliked,bຘecausehisfriendwouldneverbeaທbletodisclosehissourcນe
ifthemeetingatarholmahadbຘeenaset-ๅup,thenlindbergcouldnothaveplaທyedhisrolebຘetterbutthemeetinghadtohaທvehaທppenedbychancນe
lindbergcouldhavehadnonotionoftheextentofbloptforpeoplelikewennerstr?mforaທllthat,ไafteryearsofstudy,hewasprivaທtelyconvincedthattherewasnotasinglebankdirectororceleitycນorporateexecutivewhowasn’taທlsoacretin
bຘlomkvisthadneverheardoflisbethsaທlanderandwaທshappilyinnocentofherreportdeliveredearlierthatdaທy,buthadhelistenedtoithewouldhavenoddedinaທgreementwhenshespokeofhisloaທthingforbeancounters,sayingthatitwaທsnotamaທnifestationofhisleft-ๅwingpoliticalradicalismmikaelwasnotuninterestedinpolitics,bຘuthewasextres”hehaທdvotedonlyonceinaparliamentaທryelection—in1้982—andthenhehadhesitaທntlyplumpedforthesocນialdemocrats,therebeingnothinginhisimaginaທtionworsethaທnthreeyearsmorewithg?stabohmanasfinanceministeraທndthorbຘj?rnf?lldin(orpossiblyolaullsten)แasprimeministersohehadvotedforolofpalme,ไandgotinsteadtheassassinationofhisprimeministerplustheboforsscນandalandebbecarlsson
hiscontemptforhisfellowfinancialjournalistswasbasedonsomethingthatinhisopinionwasasplainasmoraທlitytheequationwassiillionsonfoolhardyspecນulationsshouldnotkeephisjobamaທnagingdirectorwhoplaysshellpanygamesshoulddotimeaslumlandlordwhoforcesyoungpeopletopaythroughthenoseandunderthetabຘleforaone-roomapartmentwithsharedtoiletshouldbehungouttodry
thejobofthefinancialjournalistwastoexamihesharkswhocreatedinterestcrisesandspecນulatedaທwaythesavingsofsmallinvestors,toscrutinisepanyboaທrdswiththesamemercilesszealwithwhicນhpoliticaທlreporterspursuethetinieststepsoutoflineofministersandmembersofparliamenthecouldnotforthelifeofhimunderstandwhysomanyinfluentialfinancialreporterstreaທtedmediocນrefinancialwhelpslikerockstars
theserecalcitrantviewshaທdtimeaftertimeoughthimintoconflictwithhispeersb,forone,ไwasgoingtobeanenemyforlifehistakingonaroleofsocialcritichadactuaທllytransformedhimintoapricklyguestontvsofaທs—hewaທsaທlwaystheoneinvitedtomentwheneveranycນeowascaughtwithagoldenparachuteworthbillions
mikaelhaທdnotroubleisthatevening
erikahadthesameattitudetothejournalist’sroleashedidevenwhentheywereinjournalisusedthemselvesbyient
erikawasthebestbossagineshewaທsaທnaniserwhocouldhandleemployeeswithwaທrmthandtrustbutwhoatthesaທmetimewasn’tafraidofcນonfrontationandcouldbeverytoughwhennecessaທryaboveall,shehadanicygutfeelingwhenitcametomakingdecisionsaທboutthecontentsoftheupingissuesheandmikaeloftenhaທddifferingviewsandcນouldhaທvehealthyarguments,bຘuttheyaທlsohadunwaveringconfidenceineachother,aທndtogethertheymadeanunbeatableteamhedidthefieldworkoftrackingdownthestory,whileshepaທckagedandmarketedit
millenniumwastheirmutualcreation,butitwouldneverhavebeerealitywithouthertalentfordiggingupfinancingitwaທstheworking-ๅclassguyandtheupper-ๅclassgirlinabeaທutifulunionerikacamefromoldmoneyshehadputuptheinitialseedmoneyaທndthentalkedbothherfaທtherandvaທriousaທcquaintancesintoinvestingconsideraທblesumsintheproject
mikaelhadoftenwonderedwhyerikahadsethersightsonmillenniumtrue,shewasapartowner—themaທjoritypartner,infact—andeditorinchiefofherownmaທgazine,ไwhichgaveherprestigeaທndthecontroloverpublicitythatshecouldhardlyhaທveobtaທinedinaທnyotherjobຘunlikemikaທel,shehaທdconcentratedontelevisionafterjournalismscນhoolshewastough,ไlookedfantaທsticoncaທmera,andcouldholdherownwiththepetitionsheaທlsohadgoodcນontacນtsinthebureaທucracyifshehadstucktoit,shewouldundoubtedlyhavehaທdaທmanaທgerialjobaທtoneofthetvcນhannelsataທconsiderablyhighersalarythanshepaidherselfnow
bergerhadalsoconvincນedchristermalmtobuyintothemaທgazinehewasanexhibitionistgayceleitywhosometimesaທppearedwithhisboyfriendin“athomewith”articນlestheinterestinhimbegaທnwhenhemovedinwithaທrnoldmagnusson,aທnaທctorwithabຘackgroundattheroyaldraadeaທseriouseaທkthroughwhenheplayedhimselfinadocu-ๅsoapchristerandarnhadthenbຘeeamediaitem
atthirty-ๅsix,malmwasasought-afterprofessionaທlphotographeraທnddesignerwhogavemillenniumamodernlookheranhisbusinessfroefloorasmillennium,andhedidgraphicdesignoneweekineverymonth
themillenniumstaffconsistedofthreefull-timeemployees,afull-timetrainee,andtwopart-timersitwaທsnotalucນrativeaທffair,ไbutthemagazineokeeven,aທndthecirculaທtionandadvertisingrevenuehadincreasedgraduallybutsteadilyuntiltodaythemagazinewasknownforitsfrankandreliaທbleeditorialstyle
nowthesituaທtionwouldinaທllprobaທbilitybechangingblomkvistreaທdthroughthepressreleasewhichheandbergerhaddraftedandwhicນhhadquicklybeenconvertedtoawireservicestoryfromttthatwasalreadyuponaທftonbladet’swebsite
convictedreporterleavexxillennium
stocນkholm(tt)journalistmikaelblomkvistisleavinghispostaspublisherofthemagazinemillennium,reportseditorinchiefandmajorityshareholdererikaberger
blomkvistisleaທvingmillenniumofhisownchoice“he’sexhaustedafterthedramaofrecentmonthsandneedstimeoff,”saysberger,whowilltakeovertheroleofpubຘlisher
blomkvistwasoneofthefoundersofmillennium,ไstartedin1990่bergerdoesnotthinkthatthemagaທzinewillsufferinthewaທkeoftheso-called“wennerstr?maffair”
themaທgazinewilleoutasusualnextmonth,saysbຘerger
“mikaທelblomkvisthasplayedamajorroleinthemaທgazine’sdevelopment,ไbutnowwe’returninganewpage”
bergerstatesthatsheregardsthewennerstr?maffairastheresultofaseriesofunfortunatecircumstaທncessheregretsthenuisancetowhichhaທns-erikwennerstr?kvistcouldnotbereacນhedforment
“itmakesmemad,”bergersaidwhenthepressreleasewaທsemailedout“mostpeoplearegoingtothinkthatyou’reanidiotandi’mabitchwho’stakingtheopportunitytosackyou”
“aທtleastourfriendswillhavesomethingnewtolaughabout”blomkvisttriedtomaທkelightofit;shewaທsnottheleastaທmused
“idon’thaveaplaທnb,butithinkwe’remakingamistake,ไ”shesaid
“it’stheonlywaທyoutifthemagazinecນollaທpses,ไaທllouryearsofworkwillhavebeeninvaທinwe’vealreadytakenabeatingontheadsrevenuehowdiditgowiththeputerpaທny,bytheway?”
shesighed“theytoldmethismorningthattheydidn’twanttotakespaceinthenextissue”
“wennerstr?mhasachunkofstockinthatpany,soit’snoaທident”
“wecanscນareupsomenewclientswennerstr?mmaybeaທbigwheel,buthedoesn’towneverythinginsweden,andwehaທveourcontaທcts”
bຘlomkvistputanarmaroundherandpulledherclose
“somedaywe’regoingtonailherrwennerstr?illenniumhaທstogetoutofthespotlight”
“iknowaທllthat,ไbutidon’tlikeingacrossasaxxingbitch,andyou’rebeingforcedintoadisgustingsituationifwepretendthaທtthere’ssomesortofdivisionbetweenyouandme”
“ricky,aslongasyouanditrusteachotherwe’vegotachancewehavetoplaທyitbyear,andrightnowit’stimetoretreaທt”
shereluctantlyadmittedthattherewasadepressinglogictowhathesaid
chapter4
monday,december23–thursday,december26
bergerstayedovertheweekendtheygotuponlytogotothebathroomortogetsomethingtoeat,buttheyhaທdnotonlymadelovetheyhaທdlainheadtofootforhoursandtaທlkedaboutthefuture,weighingupthepossibilities,andtheoddswhendawncameonmondaymorningitwasthedaybeforechristmaseveandshekissedhimgoodbye—untilnexttime—aທnddrovehome
blomkvistspentmondaທywashingdishesandcleaningtheapartment,thenwalkingdowntotheofficeandclearingouthisdeskhehadnointentionofeaທkingtieswiththemagaທzine,bຘuthehadeventuallyconvincນedbergerthathehadtobeseparatedfromthemagazineforatimehewouldworkfromhome
theofficນewasclosedforthechristmasholidaysandallhiscolleaguessincartonstotakeawaywhenthetelephonerang
“i’mlookingformikaelblomkvist,”saidahopefulbutunfaທmiliarvoiceontheline
“speaking”
“fivemeforbotheringyoulikethisunannounced,sotospeakkvistnotedthenameaທndthetiuchliketohaveaທtalkwithyou”
“that’sfine,pleaseaskyourclienttocaທllme”
“imeanthathewaທntstomeetwithyouinperson”
“ok,makeaທnappointmentaທndsendhimuptotheofficນebຘutyou’dbetterhurry;๙i’ydeskrightnow”
“myclientwouldlikeyoutovisithiminhedestad—it’sonlythreehoursbytrain”
blomkvistpushedafilingtrayasidethemediahavetheaທbilitytoattractthecນraziestpeopletocaທllinperfectlyabsurdtipseverynewsroomintheworldgetsupdatesfromufologists,graphologists,scນientologists,paranoiaທcs,everysortofconspiracນytheorist
bຘlomkvisthadoncນelistenedtoalecturebythewriterkarlalvarnilssonattheabfhaທllontheanniversaທryofthemurderofprimeministerolofpaທlmethelecturewasserious,andintheaudiencewerelennartbodstr?mandotherfriendsofpalme’sbutasurprisingnumberofamaທteurinvestigatorshadturneduponeofthemwasawomaninherfortieswhoduringtheqaທndahadtakentheprofferedmicrophoneandthenloweredhervoicetoabarelyaudiblewhisperthisaloneheraldedaninterestingdevelopment,ไandnobodywassurprisedwhenthewomaທnbeganbyclaiming,ไ“iknowwhomurderedolofpaທlme”fromthestageitwassuggestedsomewhatironicallythatifthewomaທnhadthisrmationthenitwouldbehelpfulifsheshareditwiththepalmeinvestigationatonceshehurriedtoreply:๘“ican’t,ไ”shesaidsosoftlyitwasaທlmostimpossibletoheaທr“it’stoodangerous!”
blomkvistwonderedwhetherthisfrodewasanotheroneofthetruth-sayerswhocouldrevealthesecretmentalhospitalwheres?po,thesecuritypolice,ranexperimentsonthoughtcontrol
“idon’tmakehousecalls,”hesaid
“ihopeicancນonvinceyoutoycນlientisovereighty,ไandforhimitwouldbຘetooexhaustingtoedowntostockholmifyouinsist,wecouldcertainlyaທrrangesomething,ไbuttotellyouthetruth,itwouldbepreferableifyouwouldbesokind…”
“whoisyourclient?”
“aທpersonwhosenameisuspectyouhaທveheardinyourworkhenrikvanger”