aranskyaeptedherasshewas,butshewasnotallowedtoeettheclients.today’sassignentwasanexception.

salanderwasdressedforthedayinablackt-shirtwithapictureonitofe.t.withfangs,andthewordsiamalsoanalien.shehadonablackskirtthatwasfrayedatthehe,aworn-outblack,id-lengthleatherjacket,rivetbelt,heavydocmartenboots,andhorizontallystriped,green-and-redkneesocks.shehadputonake-upinacolourscheethatindicatedsheightbecolourblind.inotherwords,shewasexceptionallydeckedout.

aranskysighedandshiftedhisgazetotheconservativelydressedguestwiththethickglasses.dirchfrode,alawyer,hadinsistedoneetingandbeingabletoaskquestionsoftheeployeewhopreparedthereport.aranskyhaddoneallhecivillycoul. comreventtheeetingtakingplace,sayingthatsalanderhadacold,wasaway,orwasswapedwithotherwork.thelawyerrepliedcallythatitadenodifference—theatterwasnoturgentandhecouldeasilywaitacoupleofdays.atlasttherewasnowaytoavoidbringingthetogether.nowfrode,whoseeedtobeinhislatesixties,waslookingatlisbethsalanderwithevidentfascination.salandergloweredbackwithanexpressionthatdidnotindicateanywarfeelings.

aranskysighedandlookedonceoreatthefoldershehadplacedonhisdesklabelledcarlmikaelblomkvist.thenaewasfollowedbyasocialsecuritynuber,neatlyprintedonthecover.hesaidthenaeoutloud.herrfrodesnappedoutofhisbewitchedstateandturnedtoaransky.

“sowhatcanyoutelleaboutmikaelblokvist？”hesaid.

“thisisms.salander,whopreparedthereport.”aranskyhesitatedasecondandthenwentonwithasilethatwasintendedtoengenderconfidence,butwhichseeedhelplesslyapologetic.“don’tbefooledbyheryouth.sheisourabsolutebestresearcher.”

“i’persuadedofthat,”frodesaidinadrytohathintedattheopposite.“tellewhatshefoundout.”

itwasclearthatfrodehadnoideahowtoacttowardssalander.heresortedtodirectingthequestiontoaransky,asifshehadnotbeenintheroo.salanderblewabigbubblewithhergu.beforearanskycouldanswer,shesaid,“couldyouasktheclientwhetherhewouldpreferthelongortheshortversion？”

therewasabrief,ebarrassedsilencebeforefrodefinallyturnedtosalanderandtriedtorepairthedaagebyassuingafriendly,avunculartone.

“iwouldbegratefuliftheyoungladywouldgiveeaverbalsuaryoftheresults.”

foraoentherexpressionwassosurprisinglyhostilethatitsentacoldshiverdownfrode’sspine.thenjustasquicklyherexpressionsoftenedandfrodewonderedwhetherhehadiaginedthatlook.whenshebegantospeakshesoundedlikeacivilservant.

“allowetosayfirstthatthiswasnotaveryplicatedassignent,apartfrothefactthatthedescriptionofthetaskitselfwassoewhatvague.youwantedtoknow‘everythingthatcouldbedugup’abouthi,butgavenoindicationofwhethertherewereanythinginparticularyouwerelookingfor.forthisreasonit’ssoethingofapotpourriofhislife.thereportis193pageslong,but120pagesarecopiesofarticleshewroteorpressclippings.blokvistisapublicpersonwithfewsecretsandnotveryuchtohide.”

“buthedoeshavesoesecrets？”frodesaid.

“everyonehassecrets,”sherepliedneutrally.“it’sjustaatteroffindingoutwhattheyare.”

“let’shear.”

“mikaelblokvistwasbornonjanuary18,1960,whichakeshiforty-twoyearsold.hewasborninborl？ngebuthasneverlivedthere.hisparents,kurtandanitablokvist,werearoundthirty-fivewhenthechildwasborn.bothhavesincedied.hisfatherwasaachineryinstallerandovedaroundagooddeal.hisother,asfarasicouldsee,wasneveranythingbutahousewife.thefailyovedhousetostockholwhenmikaelstartedschool.hehasasisterthreeyearsyoungernaedannikawhoisalawyer.healsohassoecousins,bothaleandfeale.wereyouplanningtoservecoffee？”

thislastwasdirectedataransky,whohastilypupedthreecupsofcoffeefrothetheroshehadorderedfortheeeting.heotionedforsalandertogoon.

“soin1966thefailylivedinlillaessingen.blokvistwenttoschoolfirstinbloaandthe. comrepschoolonkungsholen.hehaddecentgraduatingarks—therearecopiesinthefolder.duringhisprepschooldayshestudiedusicandplayedbassinarockbandnaedbootstrap,whichactuallyputoutasinglethatwasplayedontheradiointhesuerof1979.afterprepschoolheworkedasaticketcollectorinthetunnelbana,savedsoeoney,andtravelledabroad.hewasawayforayear,ostlybuingaroundasia—india,thailand—andaswingdowntoaustralia.hebeganstudyingtobeajournalistinstockholwhenhewastwenty-one,butinterruptedhisstudiesafterthefirstyeartodohisilitaryserviceasarifleaninkirunainlapland.itwassoesortofachounit,andheleftwithgoodarks.afterilitaryservicehepletedhisjournalisdegreeandhasworkedinthefieldeversince.howdetaileddoyouwantetobe？”

“justtellwhatyouthinkisiportant.”

“heesoffalittlelikepracticalpiginthethreelittlepigs.sofarhehasbeenanexcellentjournalist.intheeightieshehadalotofteporaryjobs,firstintheprovincialpressandtheninstockhol.there’salist.hisbreakthroughcaewiththestoryaboutthebeargang—thebankrobbersheidentified.”

“kalleblokvist.”

“hehatesthenicknae,whichisunderstandable.soebody’dgetafatlipiftheyevercalledepippilongstockingonanewspaperplacard.”

shecastadarklookataransky,whoswallowedhard.onorethanoneoasionhehadthoughtofsalanderaspreciselypippilongstocking.hewavedforhertogetonwithit.

“onesourcedeclaresthatuptothenhewantedtobeacriereporter—andheinternedasoneataneveningpaper.buthehasbeeknownforhisworkasapoliticalandfinancialreporter.hehaspriarilybeenafreelancer,withonefull-tiepositionataneveningpaperinthelateeighties.heleftin1990whenhehelpedstarttheonthlyagazinemillenniu.theagazinebeganasarealoutsider,withoutanybigpublishingpanytoholditshand.itscirculationhasgrownandtodayis21,000copiesonthly.theeditorialofficeisong？tgatanonlyafewblocksfrohere.”

“aleft-wingagazine.”

“thatdependsonhowyoudefiheconcept‘left-wing.’millenniuisgenerallyviewedascriticalofsociety,buti’guessingtheanarchiststhinkit’sawipybourgeoiscrapagazinealongthelinesofarenaorordfront,whilethemoderatestudentsassociationprobablythinksthattheeditorsareallbolsheviks.thereisnothingtoindicatethatblokvisthaseverbeenactivepolitically,evenduringtheleft-wingwavewhenhewasgoin. comrepschool.whilehewaspluggingawayattheschoolofjournalishewaslivingwithagirlwhoatthetiewasactiveinthesyndicalistsandtodaysitsinparliaentasarepresentativeoftheleftparty.heseestohavebeengiventheleft-wingstappriarilybecauseasafinancialjournalisthespecialisesininvestigativereportingaboutcorruptionandshadytransactionsinthecorporateworld.hehasdonesoedevastatingindividualportraitsofcaptainsofindustryandpoliticians—whichwereostlikelywelldeserved—andcausedanuberofresignationsandlegalrepercussions.theostwell-knownwasthearbogaaffair,whichresultedintheforcedresignationofaconservativepoliticianandthesentencingofaforercouncillortoayearinprisonforebezzleent.callingattentiontocriescanhardlybeconsideredanindicationthatsoeoneisleft-wing.”

“iunderstandwhatyouean.whatelse？”

“hehaswrittentwos.oneaboutthearbogaaffairandoneaboutfinancialjournalisentitledtheknightsteplar,whichcaeoutthreeyearsago.ihaven’treadthe,butjudgingfrothereviewsitseestohavebeencontroversial.itproptedagooddealofdebateintheedia.”

“money？”frodesaid.

“he’snotrich,buthe’snotstarving.iaxreturnsareattachedtothereport.hehasabout250,000sekinthebank,inbotharetireentfundandasavingsaount.hehasanaountofaround100,000kronorthatheusesascashforworkingexpenses,travelandsuch.heownsaco-opapartentthat’spaidoff—700squarefeetonbellansgatan—andhehasnoloansordebts.hehasoneotherasset—soepropertyinsandhanoutinthearchipelago.it’sacottageof270squarefeet,furnishedasasuercabinandbythewater,rightintheostattractivepartofthevillage.apparentlyanuncleofhisboughtitintheforties,whensuchthingswerestillpossiblefornoralortals,andthecabinendedupinblokvist’shands.theydividedthingsupsothathissistergottheparents’apartentinlillaessingenandblokvistgotthecabin.ihavenoideawhatitightbeworthtoday—certainlyafewillion—butontheotherhandhedoesn’tseetowanttosell,andhegoesouttosandhanfairlyoften.”

“ine？”

“he’spartownerofmillenniu,butheonlytakesoutabout12,000insalaryeachonth.therestheearnsfrohisfreelancejobs—thetotalvaries.hehadabigyearthreeyearsagowhenhetookinaround450,000.lastyearheonlyade120,000frofreelancejobs.”

“heha. comay150,000intaxesinadditiontolawyer’sfees,etcetera,”frodesaid.“let’sassuethatthetotalisratherhigh.he’llalsobelosingoneywhileservinghisgaolter.”

“whicheansthathe’sgoingtobecleanedout,”salandersaid.

“ishehonest？”

“that’shistrustcapital,sotospeak.hisiageistoappearastheguardianofrobustoralityasopposedtothebusinessworld,andheisinvitedprettyregularl. comontificateontelevision.”

“thereprobablyisn’tuchleftofthatcapitalafterhisconvictiontoday,”frodesaid.

“idon’twanttoclaithatiknowexactlywhatdeandsareadeonajournalist,butafterthissetbackitwillprobablybealongtiebeforemasterdetectiveblokvistwinsthegrandprizeforjournalis.he’sreallyadeafoolofhiselfthistie,”salandersaid.“ifiayakeapersonalent…”

aranskyopenedhiseyeswide.intheyearssalanderhadworkedforhi,shehadneveradeasinglepersonalentinaninvestigationofanindividual.bone-dryfactswereallthatatteredtoher.