“harriettalkedwithareporterfrothecourier.herstoryisthatsheranawayfrohoebecauseshedidn’tgetalongwithherfaily,butthatsheobviouslyhasdonewellintheworldsinceshe’stheheadofaverysubstantialenterprise.”

blokvistwhistled.

“idiscoveredthattherewasoneyinaustraliansheep,butididn’tknowthestationwasdoingthatwell.”

“hersheepstationisgoingsuperbly,butthatisn’theronlysourceofine.thecochrancorporationisinining,opals,anufacturing,transport,electronics,andalotofotherthingstoo.”

“wow！sowhat’sgoingtohappennow？”

“honestly,idon’tknow.peoplehavebeenturningupallday,andthefailyhasbeentogetherforthefirsttieinyears.they’reherefrobothfredrikandjohanvanger’ssides,andquiteafewfrotheyoungergenerationtoo—theonesintheirtwentiesandup.thereareprobablyaroundfortyvangersinhedestadthisevening.halfoftheareatthehospitalwearingouthenrik；theotherhalfareatthegrandhoteltalkingtoharriet.”

“harrietustbethebigsensation.howanyoftheknowaboutmartin？”

“sofarit’sjuste,henrik,andharriet.wehadalongtalktogether.martinand…youruncoveringofhisunspeakablelife,it’sovershadowingjustabouteverythingforusattheoent.ithasbroughtanenorouscrisisforthepanytoahead.”

“icanunderstandthat.”

“thereisnonaturalheir,butharrietisstayinginhedestadforawhile.thefailywillworkoutwhoownswhat,howtheinheritanceistobedividedandsoon.sheactuallyhasashareofitthatwouldhavebeenquitelargeifshehadbeenherethewholetie.it’sanightare.”

mikaellaughed.frodewasnotlaughingatall.

“isabellahadacollapseatthefuneral.she’sinthehospitalnow.henriksayshewon’tvisither.”

“goodforhenrik.”

“however,anitaisingoverfrolondon.iatocallafailyeetingfornextweek.itwillbethefirsttieintwenty-fiveyearsthatshe’sparticipated.”

“whowillbethenewceo？”

“birgerisafterthejob,buthe’soutofthequestion.what’sgoingtohappenisthathenrikwillstepinasceoprotefrohissickbeduntilwehireeithersoeonefrooutsideorsoeonefrowithinthefaily…”

blokvistraisedhiseyebrows.

“harriet？youcan’tbeserious.”

“whynot？we’retalkingaboutanexceptionallypetentandrespectedbusinesswoan.”

“shehasapanyinaustraliatolookafter.”

“true,buthersonjeffcochranisindingthestoreinherabsence.”

“he’sthestudsanageronasheepranch.ifiunderstoodtheattercorrectly,heseestoitthatthecorrectsheepatewitheachother.”

“healsohasadegreeineconoicsfrooxfordandalawdegreefromelbourne.”

blokvistthoughtaboutthesweaty,uscularanwithhisshirtoffwhohaddrivenhiintoandthroughtheravine；hetriedtoiaginehiinapinstripesuit.whynot？

“allofthiswilltaketietoworkout,”frodesaid.“butshewouldbeaperfectceo.withtherightsupportteashecouldrepresentawholenewdealforthepany.”

“shedoesn’thavetheexperience…”

“that’strue.shecan’tjustpopupoutoforeorlessnowhereandstarticro-anagingthepany.butthevangercorporationisinternational,andwecouldcertainlyhaveanaericanceowhodoesn’tspeakawordofswedish…it’sonlybusiness,whenall’ssaidanddone.”

“soonerorlateryou’regoingtohavetofaceuptotheprobleofmartin’sbaseent.”

“iknow.butwecan’tsayanythingwithoutdestroyingharriet…i’gladi’nottheonewhohastoakethedecisionaboutthis.”

“danit,dirch,youwon’tbeabletoburythefactthatmartinwasaserialkiller.”

“mikael,i’ina…veryunfortableposition.”

“telle.”

“ihaveaessagefrohenrik.hethanksyoufortheoutstandingworkyoudidandsaysthatheconsidersthecontractfulfilled.thateansheisreleasingyoufroanyfurtherobligationsandthatyounolongerhavetoliveorworkhereinhedestad,etc.so,takingeffectiediately,youcanovebacktostockholanddevoteyourselftoyourotherpursuits.”

“hewantsetovanishfrothescene,isthatthegistofit？”

“absolutelynot.hewantsyoutovisithiforaconversationaboutthefuture.hesayshehopesthathisinvolveentontheboardofmillenniucanproceedwithoutrestrictions.but…”

frodelookedevenoreunfortable,ifthatwaspossible.

“don’ttelle,dirch…henolongerwantsetowriteahistoryofthevangerfaily.”

dirchfrodenodded.hepickedupanote,openedit,andpusheditovertomikael.

“hewroteyouthisletter.”

dearmikael,

ihavenothingbutrespectforyourintegrity,andidon’tintendtoinsultyoubytryingtotellyouwhattowrite.youaywriteandpublishwhateveryoulike,andiwon’texertanypressureonyouwhatsoever.

ourcontractreainsvalid,ifyouwanttocontinue.youhaveenoughaterialtofinishthechronicleofthevangerfaily.

mikael,i’veneverbeggedanyoneforanythinginyentirelife.i’vealwaysthoughtthatapersonshouldfollowhisoralsandhisconvictions.thistieihavenochoice.

ia,withthisletter,beggingyou,bothasafriendandaspartownerofmillenniu,torefrainfropublishingthetruthaboutgottfriedandmartin.iknowthat’swrong,butiseenowayoutofthisdarkness.ihavetochoosebetweentwoevils,andinthiscasetherearenowinners.

ibegyounottowriteanythingthatwouldfurtherhurtharriet.youknowfirst-handwhatit’sliketobethesubjectofaediacapaign.thecapaignagainstyouwasofquiteodestproportions.youcansurelyiaginewhatitwouldbelikeforharrietifthetruthweretoeout.shehasbeentorentedforfortyyearsandshouldn’thavetosufferanyoreforthedeedsthatherbrotherandherfatheritted.andibegyoutothinkthroughtheconsequencesthisstoryighthaveforthethousandsofeployeesinthepany.thiscouldcrushherandannihilateus.

henrik

“henrikalsosaysthatifyourequirepensationforfinanciallossesthatayarisefroyourrefrainingfropublishingthestory,heisentirelyopentodiscussion.youcansetanyfinancialdeandsyouthinkfit.”

“henrikvangeristryingtoshuteup.tellhithatiwishhehadnevergivenethisoffer.”

“thesituationisjustastroublesoeforhenrikasitisforyou.helikesyouveryuchandconsidersyouhisfriend.”

“henrikvangerisacleverbastard,”blokvistsaid.hewassuddenlyfurious.“hewantstohushupthestory.he’splayingonyeotionsandheknowsilikehitoo.andwhathe’salsosayingisthatihaveafreehan. comublish,andifidosohewouldhavetorevisehisattitudetowardsmillenniu.”

“everythingchangedwhenharrietsteppedontothestage.”

“andnowhenrikisfeelingoutwhatypricetagightbe.idon’tintendtohangharrietouttodry,butsoebodyhastosaysoethingaboutthewoenwhodiedinmartin’sbaseent.dirch,wedon’tevenknowhowanywoenhetorturedandslaughtered.whoisgoingtospeakupontheirbehalf？”

salanderlookedupfroherputer.hervoicewasalostinaudibleasshesaidtofrode,“isn’tthereanyoneinyourpanywho’sgoingtotrytoshuteup？”

frodelookedastonished.onceagainhehadanagedtoignoreherexistence.

“ifmartinvangerwerealiveatthisoent,iwouldhavehunghiouttodry,”shewenton.“whateveragreeentmikaeladewithyou,iwouldhavesenteverydetailabouthitothenearesteveningpaper.andificould,iwouldhavestuckhidowninhisowntortureholeandtiedhitothattableandstuckneedlesthroughhisballs.unfortunatelyhe’sdead.”

sheturnedtoblokvist.

“i’satisfiedwiththesolution.nothingwedocanrepairtheharthatmartinvangerdidtohisvictis.butaninterestingsituationhaseup.you’reinapositionwhereyoucancontinuetoharinnocentwoen—especiallythatharrietwhoyousowarlydefendedinthecaronthewayuphere.soyquestiontoyouis:whichisworse—thefactthatmartinvangerrapedheroutinthecabinorthatyou’regoingtodoitinprint？youhaveafinedilea.maybetheethicsitteeofthejournalistsassociationcangiveyousoeguidance.”

shepaused.blokvistcouldnoteethergaze.hestareddownatthetable.

“buti’notajournalist,”shesaidatlast.

“whatdoyouwant？”dirchfrodeasked.

“martinvideotapedhisvictis.iwantyoutodoyourdanedesttoidentifyasanyasyoucanandseetoitthattheirfailiesreceivesuitablepensation.andtheniwantthevangercorporationtodonate2illionkronorannuallyandinperpetuitytothenationalanisationforwoen’scrisiscentresandgirls’crisiscentresinsweden.”

frodeweighedthepricetagforainute.thenhenodded.