sbutheremindedhimselfthattheywerenotdealingwiththemediaeventoftheyearhere.Thereportershadwhattheyneededandheadedbacktotheirrespectivenewsrooms.
Heconsideredwalking,butitwasablusteryDecemberdayandhewasalreadycoldaftertheinterview.Ashewalkeddownthecourtroomsteps,hesawWilliamBgettingoutofhiscar.Hemusthavebeensittingthereduringtheinterview.Theireyesmet,andthenBsmiled.
“Itwasworthingdownherejusttoseeyouwiththatpaperinyourhand.”
Blomkvistsaidnothing.BandBlomkvisthadknowneachotherforfifteenyears.Theyhadworkedtogetherascubreportersforthefinancialsectionofamorningpaper.Maybeitwasaquestionofchemistry,butthefoundationhadbeenlaidthereforalifelongenmity.InBlomkvist’seyes,Bhadbeenathird-ratereporterandatroublesomepersonwhoannoyedeveryonearoundhimwithcrassjokesandmadedisparagingremarksaboutthemoreexperienced,olderreporters.Heseemedtodisliketheolderfemalereportersinparticular.Theyhadtheirfirstquarrel,thenothers,andanontheantagonismturnedpersonal.
Overtheyears,theyhadrunintoeachotherregularly,butitwasnotuntilthelateniiesthattheybecameseriousenemies.BlomkvisthadpublishedaaboutfinancialjournalismandquotedextensivelyanumberofidioticarticleswrittenbyB.Bcameacrossasapompousasswhogotmanyofhisfactsupsidedownandwrotehomagestodot-paniesthatwereonthebrinkofgoingunder.WhenthereaftertheymetbychanceinabarinS?dertheyhadallbutetoblows.Bleftjournalism,andnowheworkedinPR—foraconsiderablyhighersalary—atafirmthat,tomakethingsworse,waspartofindustrialistHans-ErikWennerstr?m’ssphereofinfluence.
TheylookedateachotherforalongmomentbeforeBlomkvistturnedonhisheelandwalkedaway.ItwastypicalofBtodrivetothecourthousesimplytositthereandlaughathim.
Thenumber40busbrakedtoastopinfrontofB’scarandBlomkvisthoppedontomakehisescape.HegotoffatFridhemsplan,undecidedwhattodo.Hewasstillholdingthejudgementdocumentinhishand.FinallyhewalkedovertoKaféAnna,nexttothegarageentranceleadingunderneaththepolicestation.
Halfaminuteafterhehadorderedacaffelatteandasandwich,thelunchtimenews