oreoutofplaceinaprestigioussecurityfirmthanshedid.Hismistrustwasbothwiseandirrational.InArmansky’seyes,Salanderwasbeyonddoubtthemostableinvestigatorhehadmetinallhisyearsinthebusiness.Duringthefouryearsshehadworkedforhimshehadneveroncefumbledajoborturnedinasinglemediocrereport.
Onthecontrary,herreportswereinaclassbythemselves.Armanskywasconvincedthatshepossessedauniquegift.Anybodycouldfindoutcreditrmationorrunacheckwithpolicerecords.ButSalanderhadimagination,andshealwayscamebackwithsomethingdifferentfromwhatheexpected.Howshedidit,hehadneverunderstood.Sometimeshethoughtthatherabilitytogatherrmationwassheermagic.Sheknewthebureaucraticarchivesinsideout.Aboveall,shehadtheabilitytogetundertheskinofthepersonshewasinvestigating.Iftherewasanydirttobedugup,shewouldhomeinonitlikeacruisemissile.
Somehowshehadalwayshadthisgift.
Herreportscouldbeacatastrophefortheindividualwholandedinherradar.Armanskywouldneverfetthetimeheassignedhertodoaroutinecheckonaresearcherinthepharmaceuticalindustrybeforeacorporatebuyout.Thejobwasscheduledtotakeaweek,butitdraggedonforawhile.Afterfourweeks’silenceandseveralreminders,whichsheignored,Salandercamebackwithareportdocumentingthatthesubjectinquestionwasapaedophile.Ontwooasionshehadboughtsexfromathirteen-year-oldchildprostituteinTallinn,andtherewereindicationsthathehadanunhealthyinterestinthedaughterofthewomanwithwhomhewascurrentlyliving.
SalanderhadhabitsthatsometimesdroveArmanskytotheedgeofdespair.Inthecaseofthepaedophile,shedidnotpickupthetelephoneandcallArmanskyoreintohisofficewantingtotalktohim.No,withoutindicatingbyasinglewordthatthereportmightcontainexplosivematerial,shelaiditonhisdeskoneevening,justasArmanskywasabouttoleavefortheday.Hereaditonlylatethatevening,ashewasrelaxingoverabottleofwineinfrontoftheTVwithhiswifeintheirvillaonLiding?.
Thereportwas,asalways,almostscientificallyprecise,withfootnotes,quotations,andsourcereferences.Thefirstfewpagesgavethesubject’sbackground,education,career,andfinancialsit