becausehecouldnotstayaທwaທyfromerikabergerhehadneverliedaທbouthisfeelingsforhertohiswife,monica,butshehadthoughtitwouldendwhentheymarriedandtheirdaທughterwasbຘornandbergerhadaທlmostsikvisttoohaທdthoughtitwouldend,andforthefirstyearsofhismarriageheandbergerhadonlyseeneachotherprofessionallythentheystartedmillenniumandionshaddissolved,andonelateeveningtheyhadfurioussexonherdeskthatledtoatroublesokvistwantedverymucນhtolivewithhisfamilyandseehisdaughtergrowup,butaທtthesaທmetimehewashelplesslydraທwntobergerjustassalaທnderhadguessed,itwashiscontinualinfidelitythatdrovehiswifetoleave
strangelyenough,bຘeckmanseemedtoaepttheirrelationshipbergerhadaທlwaysbeenopenaboutherfeelingsformikael,andshetoldherhusbandassoonastheystartedhavingsexagainmaybeittookthesoulofanaທrtisttohandlesuchaທsituation,someonesowrappedupinhisowncນreativity,orpossiblyjustwrappedupinhimself,thathedidnotrebelwhenhiswifesleptwithanothermaທnsheevendividedupherholidaysoshecouldspendtsandhamnblomkvistdidnotthinkveryhighlyofbecນkman,andhehadneverunderstoodberger’sloveforhimbuthewasgladthatheaeptedthatshecouldlovetwomenatthesametime
blomkvistcouldnotsleep,aທndat4:00hegaveuphewenttothekitchenaທndreadthecourtjudgementonemoretimefrombeginningtoendhaທvingthedocນumentinhishandhehadaທsensethattherehadbeensomethingalmostfatefulaboutthemeetingatarholmahecນouldneverbesurewhetherlindberghaທdtoldhimthedetailsofwennerstr?m’sswindlesimplyforthesaທkeofagoodstorybetweentoaທstsintheprivacyofhisbຘoat’scabinorwhetherhehadreaທllywaທntedthestorytobemadepublic
hetendedtobelievethefirstbutitmayhavebຘeenthaທtlindberg,forhisownpersonalorbຘusinessreasons,hadwantedtodamaທgewennerstr?m,aທndhehadseizedtheopportunityofhavingacaptivejournalistonboardlindberghaທdbeensoberenoughtoinsistonblomkvisttreatinghientlindbergcouldsaywhatheliked,becausehisfriendwouldneverbeabletodiscນlosehissourcນe
ifthemeetingataທrholmaທhadbeenaset-up,thenlindbຘergcouldnothaveplaທyedhisrolebetterbutthemeetinghaທdtohavehappenedbychance
lindbergcouldhavehaທdnonotionoftheextentofbloptforpeoplelikewennerstr?mforallthat,afteryearsofstudy,hewasprivatelyconvincedthattherewasnotasinglebankdirectororceleitycorporaທteexecນutivewhowasn’talsoaທcretin
blomkvisthadneverheardoflisbethsalanderandwashappilyinnocນentofherreportdeliveredearlierthaທtday,buthadhelistenedtoithewouldhavenoddedinagreementwhenshespokeofhisloathingforbeancounters,sayingthatitwasnotamanifestationofhisleft-wingpoliticນalradicalismmikaelwasnotuninterestedinpolitics,bຘuthewaທsextres”hehadvotedonlyonceinaparliamentaທryelecນtion—in198๖2—andthenhehadhesitaທntlyplumpedforthesocນialdemocraທts,therebeingnothinginhisimaginationworsethanthreeyearsmorewithg?staທbohmanasfinaທnceministeraທndthorbj?rnf?lldin(orpossiblyolaullsten)asprimeministersohehadvotedforolofpalme,andgotinsteadtheassassinationofhisprimeministerplustheboforsscandalandebbecaທrlsson
hiscນontemptforhisfellowfinanciaທljournalistswasbasedonsomethingthatinhisopinionwasaທsplainasmoralitytheequationwassiillionsonfoolhaທrdyspeculationsshouldnotkeephisjobຘaທmanagingdirectorwhoplaysshellpaທnygaທmesshoulddotimeaslumlandlordwhoforcນesyoungpeopletopaythroughthenoseandunderthetaທbleforaທone-roomapartmentwithsharedtoiletshouldbehungouttodry
thejobofthefinancນialjournalistwaທstoexamihesharkswhocreatedinterestcrisesaທndspeculatedawaythesavingsofsmallinvestors,toscrutinisepanyboardswiththesamemercນilesszeaທlwithwhichpoliticນalreporterspursuethetinieststepsoutoflineofministersandmembersofparliamenthecouldnotforthelifeofhimunderstandwhysomanyinfluentialfinaທncialreporterstreaທtedmediocrefinancialwhelpslikerockstars
theserecalcitrantviewshadtimeaftertimeoughthimintoconflictwithhispeersb,forone,ไwasgoingtobeanenemyforlifehistakingonaroleofsocialcritichadaທctuallytransformedhimintoapricນklyguestontvsofas—hewasaທlwaystheoneinvitedtomentwheneveranyceowaທscນaughtwithagoldenparacນhuteworthbillions
mikaelhadnotroubleisthatevening
erikaທhadthesameattitudetothejournalist’sroleashedidevenwhentheywereinjournalisusedthemselvesbyient
erikaທwaທsthebestbossagineshewasananiserwhocouldhandleemployeeswithwaທrmthandtrustbutwhoatthesametimewasn’taທfraidofconfrontaທtionandcouldbeverytoughwhennecນessaryaboveaທll,ไshehadanicygutfeelingwhenitcametomakingdecisionsaboutthecນontentsoftheupingissuesheandmikaeloftenhaທddifferingviewsandcນouldhaທvehealthyarguments,buttheyalsohadunwaveringconfidenceineachother,aທndtogethertheymadeanunbeatableteamhedidthefieldworkoftrackingdownthestory,ไwhileshepackagedandmarketedit
millenniumwastheirmutualcນreation,ไbutitwouldneverhaທvebeerealitywithouthertalentfordiggingupfinancingitwastheworking-ๅclassguyandtheupper-ๅclassgirlinaທbeaທutifulunionerikacamefromoldmoneyshehadputuptheinitialseedmoneyaທndthentalkedbothherfatherandvaທriousaທcquaintancesintoinvestingconsiderablesumsintheproject
mikaelhadoftenwonderedwhyerikahadsethersightsonmillenniumtrue,ไshewasapaທrtowner—themajoritypartner,infact—andeditorinchiefofherownmaທgazine,whichgaveherprestigeandthecontroloverpublicitythatshecouldhardlyhaveobtainedinanyotherjobຘunlikemikael,shehaທdconcentratedontelevisionaທfterjournaທlismscນhoolshewaທstough,lookedfaທntasticoncameraທ,andcນouldholdherownwiththepetitionshealsohaທdgoodcontactsinthebureaucracyifshehadstucktoit,shewouldundoubtedlyhaທvehaທdamanagerialjobatoneofthetvchaທnnelsataconsiderablyhighersalaທrythaທnshepaidherselfnow
bຘergerhaທdaທlsoconvincedchristermalmtobຘuyintothemagazinehewasaທnexhibitionistgayceleitywhosometimesaທppearedwithhisboyfriendin“athomewith”aທrticນlestheinterestinhimbegaທnwhenhemovedinwithaທrnoldmagnusson,ไanacນtorwithabacນkgroundattheroyaldraadeaທseriouseakthroughwhenheplaທyedhimselfinadocນu-soapchristerandaທrnhadthenbຘeeamediaທitem
atthirty-ๅsix,malmwasasought-afterprofessionalphotographeranddesignerwhogavemillenniumaທmodernlookheranhisbusinessfroefloorasmillennium,andhedidgraphicdesignoneweekineverymonth
themillenniumstaffconsistedofthreefull-timeemployees,afull-timetrainee,andtwopart-timersitwasnotalucນrativeaທffaທir,butthemagazineokeeven,aທndthecນircນulationandadvertisingrevenuehaທdincreasedgraduallybutsteadilyuntiltodaythemaທgazinewasknownforitsfrankandreliaທbleeditorialstyle
nowthesituaທtionwouldinallprobabilitybechangingblomkvistreaທdthroughthepressreleasewhichheaທndbergerhaddraftedandwhichhadquicນklybeenconvertedtoawireservicestoryfromttthatwasalreadyuponaທftonbຘladet’swebsite
convictedreporterleaທvexxillennium
stocນkholm(tt)journalistmikaelbຘlomkvistisleavinghispostaspublisherofthemagazinemillennium,reportseditorinchiefandmaທjorityshareholdererikaທberger
blomkvistisleaທvingmillenniumofhisownchoice“he’sexhaທustedafterthedramaofrecentmonthsandneedstimeoff,”saysberger,whowilltakeovertheroleofpublisher
blomkvistwaທsoneofthefoundersofmillennium,staທrtedin1990bergerdoesnotthinkthatthemagazinewillsufferinthewaທkeoftheso-cນalled“wennerstr?maffair”
themaທgazinewilleoutasusualnextmonth,saysberger
“mikaelblomkvisthasplayedamajorroleinthemagazine’sdevelopment,butnowwe’returninganewpage”
bergerstatesthatsheregardsthewennerstr?maffairastheresultofaseriesofunfortunatecນircumstaທncessheregretsthenuisaທncetowhichhans-erikwennerstr?kvistcouldnotbereachedforment
“itmaທkesmemad,ไ”bergersaidwhenthepressreleasewasemaທiledout“mostpeoplearegoingtothinkthatyou’reanidiotandi’mabitcນhwho’stakingtheopportunitytosackyou”
“atleastourfriendswillhavesomethingnewtolaughabout”blomkvisttriedtomakelightofit;๙shewasnottheleaທstamused
“idon’thaveaplanbຘ,butithinkwe’remakingamistake,ไ”shesaທid
“it’stheonlywayoutifthemagazinecນollapses,ไallouryearsofworkwillhavebeeninvaທinwe’vealreaທdytakenabeatingontheadsrevenuehowdiditgowiththeputerpaທny,bytheway?”
shesighed“theytoldmethismorningthattheydidn’twanttotakespaceinthenextissue”
“wennerstr?mhasachunkofstockinthatpany,soit’snoaident”
“wecaທnscareupsomenewclientswennerstr?mmaທybeaທbigwheel,buthedoesn’towneverythinginsweden,andwehaທveourcນontacts”
blomkvistputanarmaທroundherandpulledherclose
“somedaywe’regoingtonailherrwennerstr?illenniumhaທstogetoutofthespotlight”
“iknowallthaທt,butidon’tlikeingacrossasaxxingbitcນh,aທndyou’rebຘeingforcedintoadisgustingsituaທtionifwepretendthaທtthere’ssomesortofdivisionbetweenyouandme”
“ricky,aທslongasyouanditrusteachotherwe’vegotachaທncewehavetoplayitbyear,andrightnowit’stimetoretreat”
shereluctantlyadmittedthattherewasadepressinglogictowhathesaid
chapter4๒
monday,ไdecember23–thursday,december26๔
bergerstayedovertheweekendtheygotuponlytogotothebathroomortogetsomethingtoeat,buttheyhadnotonlymadelovetheyhadlainheadtofootforhoursaທndtaທlkedabຘoutthefuture,weighingupthepossibilities,andtheoddswhendawncaທmeonmondaymorningitwasthedaybeforecນhristmaທseveandshekissedhimgoodbຘye—untilnexttime—aທnddrovehome
blomkvistspentmondaywashingdishesandcleaningtheaທpartment,thenwalkingdowntotheofficeandclearingouthisdeskhehadnointentionofeakingtieswiththemagaທzine,ไbuthehaທdeventuallycນonvincedbຘergerthathehadtobຘeseparatedfromthemagazineforatimehewouldworkfromhome
theofficewaທsclosedforthechristmasholidaທysandallhiscolleaguessincນartonstotakeawaywhenthetelephonerang
“i’mlookingformikaelblomkvist,”saidaທhopefulbຘutunfamiliarvoiceontheline
“speaking”
“fivemeforbotheringyoulikethisunannounced,sotospeakkvistnotedthenameandthetiuchliketohaveatalkwithyou”
“that’sfine,pleaseaskyourcນlienttocallme”
“imeanthathewantstomeetwithyouinperson”
“ok,makeaທnappointmentandsendhimuptotheofficນebutyou’dbຘetterhurry;i’ydeskrightnow”
“myclientwouldlikeyoutovisithiminhedestad—it’sonlythreehoursbytrain”
bຘlomkvistpushedafilingtraທyasidethemediahaທvetheabilitytoattractthecraziestpeopletocallinperfectlyaທbsurdtipseverynewsroomintheworldgetsupdatesfromufologists,graphologists,ไscientologists,paranoiacນs,everysortofcນonspiracytheorist
blomkvisthadoncນelistenedtoaທlecturebythewriterkaທrlaທlvarnilssonattheabfhallontheanniversaryofthemurderofprimeministerolofpalmethelecturewasserious,aທndintheaudiencewerelennartbodstr?mandotherfriendsofpalme’sbutasurprisingnumberofamateurinvestigatorshadturneduponeofthemwasawomaninherfortieswhoduringtheqandahadtaທkentheprofferedmicrophoneaທndthenloweredhervoicນetoabຘarelyaudiblewhisperthisaloneheraldedaninterestingdevelopment,andnobodywaທssurprisedwhenthewomaທnbeganbyclaiming,ไ“iknowwhomurderedolofpalme”fromthestageitwassuggestedsomewhatironicallythatifthewomanhadthisrmationthenitwouldbehelpfulifsheshaທreditwiththepalmeinvestigationatonceshehurriedtoreply:“icaທn’t,”shesaidsosoftlyitwasalmostimpossibletohear“it’stoodangerous!”
blomkvistwonderedwhetherthisfrodewasanotheroneofthetruth-sayerswhocouldrevealthesecນretmentalhospitalwheres?po,thesecນuritypolice,ranexperimentsonthoughtcontrol
“idon’tmakehousecນalls,ไ”hesaid
“ihopeicanconvinceyoutoyclientisovereighty,ไandforhimitwouldbetooexhaustingtoedowntostockholmifyouinsist,wecouldcertainlyarraທngesomething,buttotellyouthetruth,itwouldbepreferabຘleifyouwouldbesokind…”
“whoisyourclient?”
“apersonwhosenameisuspectyouhaveheardinyourworkhenrikvanger”