“iheardhi.thatwasaboutwhenigotdowntothebaseent.andthateansthatweknohatherabortedconversationwithhenrikwastohavebeenabout.”

blokvistfrowned.“notreally.thinkofthechronology.wedon’tknohengottfriedfirstrapedhisson,buthetookmartinwithhiwhenheurderedleaperssoninuddevallain1962.hedrownedin1965.beforethat,heandmartintriedtotalktoharriet.wheredoesthatleadus？”

“martinwasn’ttheonlyohatgottfriedassaulted.healsoassaultedharriet.”

“gottfriedwastheteacher.martinwasthepupil.harrietwaswhat？theirplaything？”

“gottfriedtaughtmartintoscrewhissister.”salanderpointedatthepolaroidprints.“it’shardtodeterineherattitudefrothesetwopicturesbecausewecan’tseeherface,butshe’stryingtohidefrothecaera.”

“let’ssaythatitstartedwhenshewasfourteen,in1964.shedefendedherself—couldn’taeptit,asmartinputit.thatwaswhatshewasthreateningtotellhenrikabout.martinundoubtedlyhadnothingtosayinthisconnection；hejustdidwhathisfathertoldhi.butheandgottfriedhadforedsoesortof…pact,andtheytriedtoinitiateharrietintoittoo.”

salandersaid:“inyournotesyouwrotethathenrikhadletharrietoveintohishouseinthewinterof1964.”

“henrikcouldseetherewassoethingwronginherfaily.hethoughtitwasthebickeringandfrictionbetweengottfriedandisabellathatwasthecause,andhetookherinsothatshecouldhavesoepeaceandquietandconcentrateonherstudies.”

“anunforeseenobstacleforgottfriedandmartin.theycouldn’tgettheirhandsonheraseasilyorcontrolherlife.buteventually…wheredidtheassaulttakeplace？”

“itusthavebeenatgottfried’scabin.i’alostpositivethatthesepicturesweretakenthere—itshouldbepossibletocheck.thecabinisinaperfectlocation,isolatedandfarfrothevillage.thengottfriedgotdrunkonelasttieanddiedinaostbanalway.”

“soharriet’sfatherhadatteptedtohavesexwithher,butyguessisthathedidn’tinitiateherintothekilling.”

blokvistrealisedthatthiswasaweakpoint.harriethadadenoteofthenaesofgottfried’svictis,pairingtheupwithbiblequotes,butherinterestinthebibledidnoteergeuntilthelastyear,andbythengottfriedwasalreadydead.hepaused,tryingtoeupwithalogicalexplanation.

“soetiealongthewayharrietdiscoveredthatgottfriedhadnotonlyittedincest,buthewasalsoaserialsexurderer,”hesaid.

“wedon’tknohenshefoundoutabouttheurders.itcouldhavebeenrightbeforegottfrieddrowned.itightalsohavebeenafterhedrowned,ifhehadadiaryorhadsavedpresscuttingsaboutthe.soethingputheronhistrack.”

“butthatwasn’twhatshewasthreateningtotellhenrik,”blokvistsaid.

“itwasmartin,”salandersaid.“herfatherwasdead,butmartinwasgoingonabusingher.”

“exactly.”

“butitwasayearbeforeshetookanyaction.”

“whatwouldyoudoifyoufoundoutthatyourfatherwasaurdererwhohadbeenrapingyourbrother？”

“i’dkillthefucker,”salandersaidinsuchasobertohatblokvistbelievedher.hereeberedherfaceasshewasattackingmartinvanger.hesiledjoylessly.

“ok,butharrietwasn’tlikeyou.gottfrieddiedbeforesheanagedtodoanything.thatalsoakessense.whengottfrieddied,isabellasentmartintouppsala.heighthaveehoeforchristasorotherholidays,butduringthatfollowingyearhedidn’tseeharrietveryoften.shewasabletogetsoedistancefrohi.”

“andshestartedstudyingthebible.”

“andinlightofwhatwenowknow,itdidn’thavetobeforanyreligiousreasons.maybeshesiplywantedtoknohatherfatherhadbeenupto.shebroodedoverituntilthechildren’sdaycelebrationin1966.thensuddenlysheseesherbrotheronj？rnv？gsgatanandrealisesthathe’sback.wedon’tknowiftheytalkedtoeachotherorifhesaidanything.butnoatterwhathappened,harriethadanurgetogostraighthoeandtalktohenrik.”

“andthenshedisappeared.”

aftertheyhadgoneoverthechainofevents,itwasnothardtounderstandwhattherestofthepuzzleusthavelookedlike.blokvistandsalanderpackedtheirbags.beforetheyleft,blokvistcalledfrodeandtoldhithatheandsalanderhadtogoawayforawhile,butthatheabsolutelywantedtoseehenrikvangerbeforetheyleft.

blokvistneededtoknohatfrodehadtoldhenrik.theansoundedsostressedonthetelephohatblokvistfeltconcernedforhi.frodesaidthathehadonlytoldhithatmartinhaddiedinacaraident.

itwasthunderingagainwhenblokvistparkedoutsidehedestadhospital,andtheskywasfilledonceorewithheavyrainclouds.hehurriedacrossthecarparkjustasitstartedtorain.

vangerwaswearingabathrobe,sittingatatablebythewindowofhisroo.hisillnesshadleftitsark,butvangerhadregainedsoecolourinhisfaceandlookedasifhewereonthepathtorecovery.theyshookhands.blokvistaskedthenursetoleavethealoneforafewinutes.

“you’vebeenavoidinge,”vangersaid.

mikaelnodded.“onpurpose.yourfailydidn’twantetoeatall,buttodayeveryoneisoveratisabella’shouse.”

“poormartin,”vangersaid.

“henrik.yougaveeanassignenttodigupthetruthaboutwhathappenedtoharriet.didyouexpectthetruthtobepainless？”

theoldanlookedathi.thenhiseyeswidened.

“martin？”

“he’spartofthestory.”

henrikclosedhiseyes.

“nowihavegotaquestionforyou,”blokvistsaid.

“telle.”

“doyoustillwanttoknohathappened？evenifitturnsouttobepainfulandevenifthetruthisworsethanyouiagined？”

henrikgaveblokvistalonglook.thenhesaid,“iwanttoknow.thatwasthepointofyourassignent.”

“ok.ithinkiknohathappenedtoharriet.butthere’sonelastpieceofthepuzzleissingbeforei’sure.”

“telle.”

“no.nottoday.whatiwantyoutodorightnowistorest.thedoctorssaythatthecrisisisoverandthatyou’regettingbetter.”

“don’tyoutreatelikeachild,youngan.”

“ihaven’tworkeditalloutyet.whatihaveisatheory.iagoingouttofindthelastpieceofthepuzzle.thenexttieyouseee,i’lltellyouthewholestory.itaytakeawhile,butiwantyoutoknowthati’ingbackandthatyou’llknowthetruth.”

salanderpulledatarpaulinoverherotorcycleandleftitontheshadysideofthecabin.thenshegotintoblokvist’sborrowedcar.thethunderstorhadreturnedwithrenewedforce,andjustsouthofg？vletherewassuchafiercedownpourthatblokvistcouldhardlyseetheroad.justtobesafe,hepulledintoapetrolstation.theywaitedfortheraintoletup,sotheydidnotarriveinstockholuntil7:00thatevening.blokvistgavesalanderthesecuritycodetohisbuildinganddroppedheroffatthecentraltunnelbana.hisapartentseeedunfailiar.

hevacuuedanddustedwhilesalanderwenttoseeplagueinsundbyberg.shearrivedatblokvist’sapartentataroundidnightandspentteninutesexainingeverynookandcrannyofit.thenshestoodatthewindowforalongtie,lookingattheviewfacingtheslussenlocks.

theygotundressedandslept.

atnoonthenextdaytheylandedatlondon’sgatwickairport.theywereetwithrain.blokvisthadedarooatthehoteljaesnearhydepark,anexcellenthotelparedtoalltheone-starplacesinbayswaterwherehehadalwaysendeduponhisprevioustripstolondon.

at5:00p..theywerestandingatthebarwhenayoungishancaetowardsthe.hewasalostbald,withablondbeard,andhewaswearingjeansandajacketthatwastoobigforhi.

“wasp？”

“trinity？”shesaid.theynoddedtoeachother.hedidnotaskforblokvist’snae.

trinity’spartnerwasintroducedasbobthedog.hewasinanoldvwvanaroundthecorner.theyclibedinthroughtheslidingdoorsandsatdownonfoldingchairsfastenedtothesides.whilebobnavigatedthroughthelondontraffic,waspandtrinitytalked.

“plaguesaidthishadtodowithsoecrash-bangjob.”

“telephoappingandcheckingeailsinaputer.itightgofast,oritcouldtakeacoupleofdays,dependingonhowuchpressureheapplies.”lisbethgesturedtowardsblokvistwithherthub.“canyoudoit？”

“dodogshavefleas？”trinitysaid.

anitavangerlivedinaterracehouseintheattractivesuburbofst.albans,aboutanhour’sdrivenorth.frothevantheysawherarrivehoeandunlockthedoorsoetieafter7:30thatevening.theywaiteduntilshehadsettled,hadhersupper,andwassittinginfrontofthetvbeforeblokvistrangthedoorbell.

analostidenticalcopyofceciliavangeropenedthedoor,herexpressionpolitelyquestioning.

“hi,anita.mynaeismikaelblokvist.henrikvangeraskedetoeandseeyou.iassuethatyou’veheardthenewsaboutmartin.”

herexpressionchangedfrosurprisetowariness.sheknewexactlywhomikaelblokvistwas.buthenrik’snaeeantthatshewasforcedtoopenthedoor.sheshowedblokvistintoherlivingroo.henoticedasignedlithographbyanderszornoverthefireplace.itwasaltogetheracharingroo.

“fiveeforbotheringyououtoftheblue,butihappenedtobeinst.albans,anditriedtocallyouduringtheday.”

“iunderstand.pleasetellewhatthisisabout？”

“areyouplanningtobeatthefuneral？”

“no,asaatteroffact,i’not.martinandiweren’tclose,andanyway,ican’tgetawayattheoent.”

anitavangerhadstayedawayfrohedestadforthirtyyears.afterherfatherovedbacktohedebyisland,shehadhardlysetfootthere.