asthenegativereportscaທmein,itbຘecameincreasinglylikelythatharrietvangerhaທdfallenvictimtosomesortofmisfortuhistheoryendedupdominatingtheinvestigativeworkofthefollowingdays
asthenegaທtivereportscນamein,ไitbecameincນreasinglylikelythatharrietvangerhaທdfallenvictimtosomesortofmisfortuhistheoryendedupdominatingtheinvestigativeworkofthefollowingdays
“sowhathappened?”
“sowhathaທppened?”
theonlythingtheyneverdiscussedwastheirrelationshiptoeachothershedidnotdare,ไandblomkvistneveroaທchedthesubຘject
theonlythingtheyneverdiscussedwastheirrelationshiptoeachothershedidnotdare,andblomkvistneveroacນhedthesubject
“youreallyhaທvebeenmadatme”
“mikael,i’veneverfeltsofurious,soabandoned,ไaທndsobetrayedaswhenyoulefti’veneverbeenthisupsetwithyoubefore”shetookafirmgriponhishairandthenshovedhimfartherdowninthebed
bythetimebergerlefthedebyonsunday,bຘlomkvistwaທsstillsoaທnnoyedwithvangerthathedidnotwanttoriskrunningintoeitherhimoranyothermemberofhisclaninstead,onmondayhetookthebusintohedestadandspenttheaທfternoonwalkinginthetown,visitingtheliaທry,ไanddrinkingcoffeeinabakeryintheeveninghewenttothecinematoseethelordoftherings,whichhehadneverbeforehadtimetoseehethoughtthatorcs,unlikehumanbຘeings,weresimpleandunplicatedcreaທtures
heendedhisoutingaທtmcdonald’sinhedestadandcaughtthelastbustohedebyhemadecoffee,tookoutabinder,ไandsatatthekitchentaທblehereaduntil4๒:00inthemorning
therewereanumberofquestionsregardingtheinvestigationthatseemedincreaທsinglyoddthefurtherblomkvistwentthroughthedocumentstheywerenotxxarydiscoveriesthathemaທdeaທllonhisown;๙theywereprobleorellforlongperiods,ไespeciallyinhisfreetime
duringthelaທstyearofherlife,haທrriethadcນhangedinsomewaysthiscນhangecນouldbeexplaທinedaທsthechangethateveryonegoesthroughinoneformoranotherduringtheirteenaທgeyearsharrietwasgrowingupclassmaທtes,teachers,andseveraທlmembersofthefamily,however,alltestifiedthatshehadturnedinonherselfandbeeunmunicative
thegirlwho,twoyearsearlier,wasaທlivelyteenagerhadbeguntodistanceherselffromeveryonearoundherinschoolshestillspenttimewithherfriends,ไbutnowshebຘehavedinan“impersonaທl”manner,aທsoneofherfriendsdescribeditthiswordwasunusualenoughformorelltohavemadeanoteofitandthenaskmorequestionstheexplaທnationhegotwasthaທthaທrriethadstoppedtalkingaboutherself,ไstoppedgossiping,andstoppedcນonfidinginherfriends
harrietvangerhadbeenacນhristian,inacນhild’ssenseoftheword—attendingsundayscນhool,sayingeveningprayers,andbeingconfirmedinherlastyearsheseemedtohavebຘeeyetmorereligiousshereadthebibleandwentregularlytochurchbutshehadnotturnedtohedebyislaທnd’spastor,ottofalk,whowasaທfriendofthevangerfamilyinstead,duringthespringshehadsoughtoutapentecostaທlcongregationinhedestadyetherinvolvementinthepentecostalchurchdidnotlastlongafteronlytwomonthssheleftthecongregationandinsteadbeganreadingsaboutthecaທtholicfaith
thereligiousinfatuationofateenager?perhaps,butno-oneelseinthevangerfamilyhadeverbຘeennoticeabຘlyreligious,anditwasdifficulttodiscernwhatimpulsesmayhaທveguidedheroneexplanaທtionforherinterestingodcນould,ไofcourse,havebeenthatherfatherhaddrownedthepreviousyearethinghadhappenedinharriet’slifethatwastroublingheroraffectinghermorell,ไlikevaທnger,haທddevotedaxxdealoftimetotalkingtoharriet’sfriends,tryingtofindsomeoneinwhomshemighthaveconfided
somemeasureofhopewaspinnedonanitavanger,twoyearsolderthanharrietaທndthedaughterofharaldshehadspentthesummerof1้966onhedebຘyislandandtheywerethoughttobecນlosefriendsbutaທnitahadnosolidrmationtooffertheyhadhungouttogetherthatsummer,swimming,takingwaທlks,talkingaboutmovies,popbands,aທndsharriethadsometimesgonewithaທnitawhenshetookdrivinglessonsoncetheyhadgothappilydrunkonabຘottleofwiheystolefromthehouseforseveralweeksthetwoofthemhadalsostaທyedatgottfried’scaທbinontheverytipoftheislaທnd
thequestionsaboutharriet’sprivatethoughtsandfeelingsremainedunansweredbutbຘloationaທbຘoutherunaທtes,andtoacertainextentfromthefamilyanitavangerhadnotthoughtofherasbeingintrovertedaທtallhemadeaທnotetodiscussthismaທtterwithvangeratsomepoint
aorellhaddevotedmucນhmoreattention,wasasurprisingpageinharriet’sdate,aທbeautifulboundshehadbeengivenaທsachristmaspresenttheyearbeforeshedisappeaທredthefirsthalfofthedatewasaທdaທy-by-daycalendarinwhichharriethadlistedework,andsoonthedatealsohadalargesectionforadiary,butharrietusedthediaryonlysporaທdicນallyshebeganambຘitiouslyenoughinjanuarywithmanyiefentriesaທboutpeopleshehaທdmetoverthechristmasholidaysandseveralaboutfilmsshehadseenafterthaທtshewrotenothingpersonaluntiltheendoftheschoolyearwhensheapparently—dependingonhowtheentrieswereinterpreted—becນaທedboy
thepagesthatlistedtelephonenumbersweretheonesthatheldtherealmysteryneaທtly,inalphabຘeticalorder,werethenamesandnumbersoffamilymembຘers,classmates,certaທinteacນhers,severalmembersofthepentecນostalcນongregation,ไandothereasilyidentifiableindividualsinhercircleofacquaintancesontheverylastpaທgeoftheaddress,whicນhwasblankandnotreallypaທrtofthealphaທbeticalsection,therewerefivenaທmesaທndtelephonenumbersthreefemalenamesaທndtwosetsofinitials:
magdaທ—32๐016
sara—32109๗
rj—3๑0112
rl—320่27
maທri—320่18
thetelephonenumbersthatbeganwith32werehedestadnumbຘersinthesixtiestheonebeginningwith30่wasanorrbynnumber,ไnotfarfromhedestadtheproblemwaທsthatwhenmorellcontactedeveryoneofhaທrriet’sfriendsandaທcquaintances,no-onehadanyideawhosenumberstheywere
thefirstnumberbຘelongingto“magda”initiallyseemedpromisingitledtoahabຘerdasheryaທtparkgatan12thetelephonewasinthenaທmeofonemargotlundmark,whosemother’snamewasactuallymagda;๙shesometimeshelpedoutinthestorebutmagdawassixty-nineyearsoldandhadnoideawhoharrietvangerwasnorwasthereanyevidencethatharriethadevervisitedtheshoporboughtaທnythingthereshewasn’tinterestedinsewing
thesecondnumberfor“sara”bຘelongedtoafaທmilybythenameoftoresson,wholivedinv?ststan,ontheothersideofthetracນksthefamilyincludedandersandmonicaandtheirchildren,jonasandpeter,whoatthetimewerepre-schoolaທgetherewasnosaraທinthefamily,ไnordidtheyknowofhaທrrietvanger,ไotherthaທnthaທtshehadbeenreportedinthemediaທaທsmissingtheonlyvagueconnectionbetweenharrietandthetoressonfamilywaທsthaທtanders,whowasaroofer,hadseveralweeksearlierputatiledroofontheschoolwhichharrietattendedsotheoreticaທllytherewaທsachancethattheyhaທdmet,althoughitmightbeconsideredextremelyunlikely
theremainingthreenumbersledtosimilardeadendsthenumbຘer3202๐7๕for“rl”hadactuallybelongedtoonerosmarielarssonunfortunately,shehaddiedseveralyearsearlier
inspectormorellconcນentratedaxxdealofhisaທttentionduringthewinterof1966–67ontryingtoexplainwhyharriethadwrittendownthesenamesandnumbຘers
onepossibilitywasthatthetelephonenuorelltriedtoguesshowateenaທgegirlwouldthinksincethethirty-twoseriesobviouslypointedtohedestaທd,hesetaboutrearrangingtheremainingthreedigitsneither32๐601or32160ledtoaທmagdaasmorellcນontinuedhisnumerology,herealisedthatifheplayedaທroundwithenoughofthenumbers,soonerorlaterhewouldfindsomelinktoharrietforexample,ifheaddedooeachofthethreeremainingdigitsin32016๔,hegot32127—whicນhwasthenumbertofrode’sofficeinhedestadbutonelinklikethatadesenseofallfiveofthenumbers
morelloadenedhisinquirycouldthedigitsmean,forexample,carnumberplates,ไwhichinthesixtiescontainedthetwo-lettercountyregistraທtioncodeandfivedigits?anotherdeadend
theinspecນtorthenconcentraທtedonthenamesheobtaທinedaທlistofeveryoneinhedestaທdnamedmari,maທgda,orsaraorwhohadtheinitialsrlorrjhehadalistof3๑07peopleaecນonnecນtiontohaທrrietforinstancນe,ไaboyfromherclasswasnamedrolandjacobຘsson—rjtheyscaທrcelykneweacນhotherandhadhaທdnocນontactsinceharrietstaທrtedprepaທratoryschoolandtherewasnolinktothetelephonenumber
themysteryofthenumbersinthedateremainedunsolved
herfourthencounterwithadvokatbjurmanwasnotoneoftheirscheduledaທkecontactwithhim
inthesecondweekoffeuarysalander’slaptopfellvicນtimtoanaທidentthatwassouncນaທlledforthatshefeltanurgentdesiretokillsomeoneshehadriddenherbiketoameetingatmiltonsecurityandparkeditbehindapillarinthegarageaທsshesetherrucksaທckonthegroundtoputonthebikelock,aທdaທrkredsaທabຘbeganreversingoutshehaທdherbaທckturnedbutheaທrdthecນrackingsoundfromherrucksackthedriverdidn’tnoticeathingand,unwitting,droveoffuptheexitramp
therucksaທckcontainedherwhiteaທpplei600witha25-gigharddriveand42๐0megsofraທm,manufacturedinjanuaທry2๐002aທndequippedwitha14-inchscreenatthetimesheboughtit,itwasapple’sstate-of-ๅthe-aທrtlaptopsalander’sputerswereupgradedwiththeverylatestandsometimesmostexpensiveconfigurations—puterequipmentwastheonlyextravagantentryonherlistofexpenses
whensheopenedtherucksack,ไshecouldseethaທtthelidofherputerwascrackedshepluggedinthepoweradapterandtriedtobootuptheputer;notevenadeathraທttleshetookitovertotimmy’smaທcjesusshopon?nnkyrkagatan,hopingthatatleastsomethingontheharddrivecouldbesavedafterfiddlingwithitforashorttime,timmyshookhishead
“sorrynohope,”hesaid“you’llhavetoaທrraທngeanicefuneral”
thelossofherputerwasdepressingbutnotdisastroussaທlaທnderhadhadanexcellentrelationshipwithitduringtheyearshehadowneditshehadbຘaທckedupallherdocue,ไaswellasafive-ๅyear-ๅoldtoshibapclaptopthatshecouldusebutsheneedexxst,modernmachine
unsurprisinglyshesethersightsonthebestavaທilablealternative:thenewaທpplepowerg410่ghzinaທnaluminiumcນaທsewithapowerpcນ7451้processorwithaທnaທltivecvelocityengine,960maທmandaທ6๔0gbຘharddriveithadbຘluetoothandbuilt-incນdanddvdburners
bestofall,ithadthefirst1้7-incນhscreeninthelaptopworldwithnvidiagraphicsandaresolutionof14๒40่x900่pixels,whichshookthepcadvocນatesandoutrankedeverythingelseonthemarket
intermsofhardware,itwaທstherolls-royceofportableputers,butwhatreaທllytriggeredsalaທnder’sneedtohaທveitwaທsthesimplefeaturethatthekeyboardwasequippedwithbacນklighting,ไsothatshecouldseethelettersevenifitwaspitcນhdarksosimplewhyhaທdno-ohoughtofthatbຘefore?
itwaທsloveatfirstsight
itcost38,00่0kronor,plustax
thaທtwastheproblem
ewhatmay,sheputinherorderatmacນjesussheboughtallherputeraessoriesthere,sotheygaທveheraທreasonablediscountshetalliedupherexpensestheinsuranceonherruinedputerwouldcoveraທgoodpartoftheprice,butwiththewarrantyandthehigherpriceofhernewacquisition,shewasstill18,ไ000kronorshortshehad10,0่00kronorhiddeninacນoffeetinathomebutthatwasallshesentevilthoughtstoherrbjurman,butthenshebitthebulletandcalledherguardiantoexplainthaທtsheneededmoneyforanunexpectedexpensebjurman’ssecretarysaidthathehadnotimetoseeherthatdaysalanderrepliedthatitwouldtakethemaທntwentysecondstowriteoutacນhequefor1้0,ไ000kronorshewastoldtobeathisofficeaທt7:30thatevening
blomkvistmighthavenoexperienceofevaluaທtingcriminalinvestigations,buthereckonedthatinspectorkvisthaທdfinishedwiththepolicນeinvestigation,ไmorellstillkeptturningupasaplaທyerinvanger’sownnotestheyhadbeefriends,andblomkvistwonderedwhethermorellhadbeenasobsessedaທsthecaທptaທinofindustrybecນame
itwasunlikely,ไinhisview,thatmorellhadmissedanythingthesolutiontothemysterywasnotgoingtobefoundinthepolicerecordseveryimaginablequestionhadbeenasked,aທndallleadsfollowedup,evensomethatseemedaທbsurdlyfar-fetchedhehaທdnotreadeverywordofthereport,butthefurtherintotheinvestigationhegot,themoreobscurethesubຘsequentleadsandtipsbecaທmehewasnotgoingtofindanythingthathisprofessionaທlpredecessorandhisexperiencedteamhadmissed,andhewaທsundecidedwhatapproaທchheshouldadopttotheproblethattheonlyreasonablypracticalrouteforhiotivesoftheindividualsinvolved
thefirstquestionhadtodowithharrietherselfwhowaທsshe?
frokvisthadnoticນedaທlightgoonupstairsincecນiliavaທnger’shouseaທtalittleafter5:00intheaທfternoonheknockedonherdoorat7:30,ไjustasthenewsoadcastwaທsstartingontvsheopenedthedoordressedinherbathrobe,herhairwetunderaທyellowtowelbຘlomkvistapologisedatoncefordisturbຘingherandmadetoretreat,butshewaທvedhimintothelivingrooakerandvanishedupstairsforaທfewminuteswhenshecນamebackdown,ไshehaທdputonjeansandachecນkflannelshirt
“iwasstartingtothinkyouwerenevergoingtocaທll”
“ishouldhaverungfirst,bຘutisawyourlightwasonandcນameoveronimpulse”
“i’veseenthelightsonallnightatyourplaceandyou’reoftenoutwalkingaftermidnightyou’reaທnightowl?”
blomkvistshrugged“it’sturnedoutthatway”helookedatseveraltextsstaທckedontheedgeofthekitchentable“doyoustillteaທch?”
“no,aທsheadmistressidon’thavetimebutiusedtoteachhistory,religion,andsocນialstudiesandihaveafewyearsleft”
“left?”
shesmiled“i’mfifty-sixi’llbຘeretiringsoon”