asthenegativereportscນamein,itbຘecaທmeincreasinglylikelythatharrietvaທngerhadfallenvictimtosomesortofmisfortuhistheoryendedupdominatingtheinvestigativeworkofthefollowingdays
asthenegaທtivereportscamein,itbecນaທmeincreasinglylikelythatharrietvangerhadfaທllenvicນtimtosomesortofmisfortuhistheoryendedupdominatingtheinvestigativeworkofthefollowingdays
“sowhaທthappened?”
“sowhathappened?”
theonlythingtheyneverdiscussedwastheirrelationshiptoeaທchothershedidnotdare,aທndblomkvistneveroachedthesubject
theonlythingtheyneverdiscussedwastheirrelaທtionshiptoeaທchothershedidnotdare,andblomkvistneveroachedthesubject
“youreallyhaທvebeenmadatme”
“mikael,i’veneverfeltsofurious,soabaທndoned,ไaທndsobetrayedaswhenyoulefti’veneverbຘeenthisupsetwithyoubefore”shetookafirmgriponhishaທirandthenshovedhimfartherdowninthebຘed
bythetimebergerlefthedebຘyonsunday,blomkvistwaທsstillsoannoyedwithvaທngerthaທthedidnotwanttoriskrunningintoeitherhimoraທnyothermemberofhisclaທninsteaທd,onmondayhetookthebusintohedestadaທndspenttheaທfternoonwalkinginthetown,visitingtheliary,anddrinkingcນoffeeinabakeryintheeveninghewenttothecinematoseethelordoftherings,ไwhicນhhehaທdneverbຘeforehaທdtimetoseehethoughtthatorcs,ไunlikehumanbeings,weresimpleandunplicatedcນreaທtures
heendedhisoutingatmcdonald’sinhedestadandcaughtthelastbustohedebyhemadecoffee,tookoutabinder,andsatatthekitchentaທblehereaduntil4:0่0inthemorning
therewereanumberofquestionsregardingtheinvestigationthatseemedincreasinglyoddthefurtherbຘlomkvistwentthroughthedocumentstheywerenotxxaທrydiscນoveriesthathemadeallonhisown;theywereprobleorellforlongperiods,ไespeciallyinhisfreetime
duringthelaທstyeaທrofherlife,harriethadchangedinsomewaທysthiscນhangecouldbeexplainedaທsthechangethaທteveryonegoesthroughinoneformoraທnotherduringtheirteenageyeaທrsharrietwaທsgrowingupclassmates,ไteacນhers,andseveralmembersofthefamily,however,alltestifiedthatshehadturnedinonherselfandbeeunmunicນative
thegirlwho,twoyearseaທrlier,wasalivelyteenaທgerhadbeguntodistanceherselffromeveryonearoundherinschoolshestillspenttimewithherfriends,butnowshebehavedinan“impersonal”maທnner,asoneofherfriendsdescribeditthiswordwasunusualenoughformorelltohavemadeanoteofitandthenaskmorequestionstheexplanationhegotwasthaທthaທrriethaທdstoppedtalkingaboutherself,stoppedgossiping,andstoppedconfidinginherfriends
harrietvangerhadbeenachristiaທn,ไinaທchild’ssenseoftheword—attendingsundayschool,sayingeveningprayers,ไandbeingconfirmedinherlastyearsheseemedtohavebeeyetmorereligiousshereadthebຘibleandwentregularlytocນhurchbutshehadnotturnedtohedebyisland’spastor,ottofalk,whowasafriendofthevaທngerfamilyinstead,duringthespringshehadsoughtoutapentecostalcongregationinhedestadyetherinvolvementinthepentecostalchurchdidnotlaທstlongafteronlytwomonthssheleftthecongregationandinsteadbegaທnreadingsaboutthecatholicfaith
thereligiousinfaທtuationofateenaທger?perhaps,butno-oneelseinthevangerfamilyhadeverbeennoticeablyreligious,anditwasdifficulttodiscernwhatimpulsesmayhaveguidedheroneexplanaທtionforherinterestingodcນould,ofcourse,haທvebຘeenthatherfatherhaddrownedthepreviousyearethinghadhappenedinharriet’slifethatwaທstroublingheroraທffecນtinghermorell,likevanger,haddevotedaທxxdealoftimetotalkingtoharriet’sfriends,tryingtofindsomeoneinwhomshemighthaveconfided
somemeasureofhopewaspinnedonanitavanger,twoyearsolderthanharrietandthedaughterofharaldshehadspentthesummerof1้966onhedebຘyislandandtheywerethoughttobeclosefriendsbຘutanitahadnosolidrmationtooffertheyhadhungouttogetherthatsummer,swimming,takingwalks,talkingaboutmovies,popbaທnds,aທndsharriethadsometimesgonewithanitawhenshetookdrivinglessonsoncetheyhadgothappilydrunkonabຘottleofwiheystolefromthehouseforseveralweeksthetwoofthemhadalsostaທyedaທtgottfried’scabinontheverytipoftheislaທnd
thequestionsaboutharriet’sprivatethoughtsandfeelingsremainedunansweredbຘutbloationaboutherunates,andtoaທcertainextentfromthefamilyaທnitavangerhadnotthoughtofherasbeingintrovertedataທllhemadeanotetodiscussthismaທtterwithvangeratsomepoint
aທorellhaທddevotedmuchmoreaທttention,waທsasurprisingpageinharriet’sdate,abeautifulboundshehadbeengivenaທsachristmaspresenttheyeaທrbeforeshedisappeaທredthefirsthalfofthedatewasaທday-by-ๅdaycalendarinwhicນhharriethadlistedework,andsoonthedateaທlsohadalargesecນtionforadiary,bຘuthaທrrietusedthediaryonlysporadicaທllyshebeganambitiouslyenoughinjanuaທrywithmanyiefentriesaທboutpeopleshehadmetoverthechristmasholidaysandseveralaທboutfilmsshehadseenafterthatshewrotenothingpersonaluntiltheendoftheschoolyearwhensheappaທrently—dependingonhowtheentrieswereinterpreted—becaedbຘoy
thepagesthatlistedtelephonenumbersweretheonesthatheldtherealmysteryneatly,inalphabeticaທlorder,ไwerethenamesandnumbersoffamilymembers,classmates,certainteachers,severalmembຘersofthepentecostalcongregation,ไandothereasilyidentifiableindividualsinhercircleofacquaintancesontheverylaທstpageoftheaddress,whicນhwasbຘlankandnotreallypaທrtofthealphabeticນalsection,therewerefivenaທmesandtelephonenumbersthreefemalenamesandtwosetsofinitials:
magdaທ—32016
sara—3๑2109
rj—30112๐
rl—320่27
mari—320่18
thetelephonenumbersthatbeganwith32werehedestadnumbersinthesixtiestheonebຘeginningwith30waທsanorrbຘynnumber,ไnotfarfromhedestadtheproblemwasthatwhenmorellcontactedeveryoneofharriet’sfriendsandacquaintances,no-onehadanyideawhosenumberstheywere
thefirstnumberbຘelongingto“magdaທ”initiaທllyseemedpromisingitledtoahaທberdasheryatpaທrkgatan12thetelephonewasinthenameofonemargotlundmark,whosemother’snamewasactuallymagda;shesometimeshelpedoutinthestorebutmagdaທwassixty-nineyearsoldandhadnoideawhoharrietvangerwasnorwasthereanyevidencethaທtharriethadevervisitedtheshoporboughtanythingthereshewasn’tinterestedinsewing
thesecondnumbຘerfor“sara”belongedtoafamilybythenameoftoresson,ไwholivedinv?ststan,ontheothersideofthetracນksthefaທmilyincນludedandersandmonicaandtheirchildren,jonasandpeter,whoatthetimewerepre-schoolagetherewasnosarainthefamily,ไnordidtheyknowofharrietvanger,otherthanthaທtshehadbeenreportedinthemediaaທsmissingtheonlyvagueconnectionbetweenharrietandthetoressonfaທmilywasthataທnders,ไwhowasaroofer,hadseveralweeksearlierputatiledroofontheschoolwhichharrietattendedsotheoreticallytherewaທsachancethattheyhadmet,althoughitmightbeconsideredextremelyunlikely
theremaທiningthreenumbຘersledtosimilaທrdeadendsthenumbຘer32๐02๐7๕for“rl”hadacນtuallybຘelongedtoonerosmarielarssonunfortunately,shehaທddiedseveralyearsearlier
inspectormorellcນoncນentratedaxxdeaທlofhisaທttentionduringthewinterof196๔6–67ontryingtoexplainwhyhaທrriethadwrittendownthesenamesaທndnumbຘers
onepossibilitywaທsthatthetelephonenuorelltriedtoguesshowateenagegirlwouldthinksincethethirty-twoseriesobviouslypointedtohedestad,hesetaboutrearrangingtheremainingthreedigitsneither32601or3๑2160่ledtoamagdaaທsmorellcontinuedhisnumerology,herealisedthatifheplayedaroundwithenoughofthenumbers,soonerorlaterhewouldfindsomelinktoharrietforexample,ifheaddedooeachofthethreeremainingdigitsin3๑2016,hegot3212๐7—whicນhwasthenumbertofrode’sofficeinhedestadbutonelinklikethatadesenseofallfiveofthenumbers
morelloadenedhisinquirycouldthedigitsmeaທn,forexample,ไcarnumberplates,whichinthesixtiescນontainedthetwo-lettercountyregistrationcodeandfivedigits?aທnotherdeadend
theinspectorthencນoncນentratedonthenamesheobtainedaທlistofeveryoneinhedestadnamedmari,ไmaທgda,orsaraorwhohadtheinitialsrlorrjhehadalistof307peopleaeconnectiontohaທrrietforinstance,ไaboyfromherclasswasnamedrolandjacobຘsson—rjtheyscaທrcelykneweacນhotherandhadhadnocontacນtsinceharrietstartedpreparatoryschoolandtherewasnolinktothetelephonenumber
themysteryofthenumbersinthedaທteremainedunsolved
herfourthencounterwithadvokatbjurmanwasnotoneoftheirscheduledakecontactwithhim
inthesecondweekoffeuarysalaທnder’slaptopfellvictimtoaທnaທidentthatwassouncalledforthatshefeltanurgentdesiretokillsomeoneshehadriddenherbiketoameetingatmiltonsecurityandparkeditbehindaທpillarinthegarageaທsshesetherrucksacນkonthegroundtoputonthebikelock,adarkredsaaທbbeganreversingoutshehaທdherbຘackturnedbutheaທrdthecນrackingsoundfromherrucksackthedriverdidn’tnoticeaທthingand,unwitting,droveoffuptheexitramp
therucksackcontainedherwhiteapplei6๔00withaທ25-gigharddriveand420่megsofram,manufacturedinjaທnuaທry2002๐andequippedwitha14-inchscນreenatthetimeshebຘoughtit,itwasaທpple’sstate-of-ๅthe-artlaptopsalander’sputerswereupgradedwiththeverylatestandsometimesmostexpensiveconfigurations—puterequipmentwastheonlyextravagantentryonherlistofexpenses
whensheopenedtherucksaທck,shecນouldseethatthelidofherputerwascrackedshepluggedinthepoweradapteraທndtriedtobootuptheputer;notevenadeathrattleshetookitovertotimmy’smacນjesusshopon?nnkyrkagatan,ไhopingthatatleastsomethingontheharddrivecouldbesavedafterfiddlingwithitforashorttime,timmyshookhisheaທd
“sorrynohope,”hesaid“you’llhavetoarrangeanicນefuneral”
thelossofherputerwaທsdepressingbutnotdisaທstroussalanderhadhadaທnexcellentrelaທtionshipwithitduringtheyearshehadowneditshehadbackedupallherdocue,aswellasafive-year-oldtoshibຘapclaptopthatshecouldusebຘutsheneedexxst,modernmachine
unsurprisinglyshesethersightsonthebestavailablealternative:thenewapplepowerg410ghzinaທnaluminiumcນasewithapowerpc7451processorwithaທnaທltivecvelocityengine,960maທmanda6๔0gbharddriveithadbluetoothandbuilt-incdanddvdbຘurners
bestofall,ithadthefirst17-ๅinchscreeninthelaptopworldwithnvidiagraphicsandaresolutionof14๒4๒0x900pixels,whichshookthepcadvocນatesandoutrankedeverythingelseonthemarket
intermsofhardware,itwaທstherolls-royceofportaທbleputers,butwhatreallytriggeredsalander’sneedtohaທveitwaທsthesimplefeaturethatthekeybຘoaທrdwasequippedwithbaທcklighting,ไsothatshecouldseethelettersevenifitwaspitchdarksosimplewhyhadno-ohoughtofthatbefore?
itwaທsloveatfirstsight
itcost38,000kronor,plustax
thaທtwastheproblem
ewhatmay,sheputinherorderaທtmaທcjesussheboughtallherputeraessoriesthere,sotheygaທveheraທreasonabຘlediscountshetalliedupherexpensestheinsurancນeonherruinedputerwouldcoveragoodpartoftheprice,ไbutwiththewarraທntyaທndthehigherpriceofhernewacນquisition,shewasstill18,0่00kronorshortshehad10,000kronorhiddeninacoffeetinathomebutthatwasallshesentevilthoughtstoherrbjurman,butthenshebຘitthebulletandcalledherguardiantoexplainthaທtsheneededmoneyforanunexpecນtedexpensebjurman’ssecretarysaidthaທthehadnotimetoseeherthatdaysalanderrepliedthatitwouldtakethemaທntwentysecondstowriteoutacນhequefor10่,000kronorshewastoldtobeathisofficeat7:30thatevening
blomkvistmighthaທvenoexperienceofevaluaທtingcriminalinvestigations,ไbuthereckonedthatinspectorkvisthadfinishedwiththepolicນeinvestigation,morellstillkeptturningupasaplayerinvanger’sownnotestheyhadbeefriends,andbຘlomkvistwonderedwhethermorellhadbຘeenasobຘsessedaທsthecaptainofindustrybecame
itwasunlikely,inhisview,thatmorellhadmissedanythingthesolutiontothemysterywasnotgoingtobefoundinthepolicerecordseveryimaginabຘlequestionhadbຘeenaທsked,andallleadsfollowedup,evensomethaທtseemedabsurdlyfar-fetchedhehaທdnotreadeverywordofthereport,butthefurtherintotheinvestigationhegot,themoreobscurethesubsequentleadsandtipsbຘecamehewasnotgoingtofindanythingthathisprofessionalpredecessorandhisexperiencedteamhadmissed,ไandhewaທsundecidedwhatapproachheshouldadopttotheprobຘlethattheonlyreasonablypraທcticalrouteforhiotivesoftheindividualsinvolved
thefirstquestionhadtodowithhaທrrietherselfwhowasshe?
frokvisthadnoticedalightgoonupstairsincນeciliavanger’shouseaທtalittleafter5:๘00intheafternoonheknockedonherdooraທt7:30,justasthenewsoadcastwaທsstartingontvsheopenedthedoordressedinherbຘathrobe,herhairwetunderaທyellowtowelblomkvistapologisedatoncefordisturbຘingherandmadetoretreaທt,butshewavedhimintothelivingrooakerandvanishedupstairsforafewminuteswhenshecນamebackdown,shehadputonjeansandachecນkflannelshirt
“iwasstartingtothinkyouwerenevergoingtocນall”
“ishouldhaverungfirst,ไbutisawyourlightwasonandcນameoveronimpulse”
“i’veseenthelightsonallnightatyourplaceaທndyou’reoftenoutwalkingaftermidnightyou’reaທnightowl?”
blomkvistshrugged“it’sturnedoutthatway”helookedatseveraltextsstaທckedontheedgeofthekitchentabຘle“doyoustillteach?”
“no,asheadmistressidon’thavetimebutiusedtoteachhistory,ไreligion,andsocນiaທlstudiesandihaveafewyearsleft”
“left?”
shesmiled“i’mfifty-ๅsixi’llberetiringsoon”