reerinmodellingimpossible,butwiththerightmake-upherfacecouldhaveputheronanybillboardintheworld.Sometimessheworeblacklipstick,andinspiteofthetattoosandthepiercednoseandeyebrowsshewas…well…attractive.Itwasinexplicable.
ThefactthatSalanderworkedforDraganArmanskyatallwasastonishing.Shewasnotthesortofwomanwithwhomhewouldnormallyeintocontact.
Shehadbeenhiredasajill-of-all-trades.HolgerPalmgren,asemi-retiredlawyerwholookedafteroldJ.F.Milton’spersonalaffairs,hadtoldArmanskythatthisLisbethSalanderwasaquick-wittedgirlwith“arathertryingattitude.”Palmgrenhadappealedtohimtogiveherachance,whichArmanskyhad,againsthisbetterjudgement,promisedtodo.Palmgrenwasthetypeofmanwhowouldonlytake“no”asanencouragementtoredoublehisefforts,soitwaseasiertosay“yes”rightaway.ArmanskyknewthatPalmgrendevotedhimselftotroubledkidsandothersocialmisfits,buthedidhavegoodjudgement.
Hehadregrettedhisdecisiontohirethegirlthemomenthemether.Shedidnotjustseemdifficult—inhiseyesshewastheveryquintessenceofdifficult.Shehaddroppedoutofschoolandhadnosortofhighereducation.
Thefirstfewmonthsshehadworkedfulltime,well,almostfulltime.Sheturnedupattheofficenowandthen.Shemadecoffee,wenttothepostoffice,andtookcareofthecopying,butconventionalofficehoursorworkroutineswereanathematoher.Ontheotherhand,shehadatalentforirritatingtheotheremployees.Shebecameknownas“thegirlwithtwobraincells”—oneforbreathingandoneforstandingup.Shenevertalkedaboutherself.Colleagueswhotriedtotalktoherseldomgotaresponseandsoongaveup.Herattitudeencouragedneithertrustnorfriendship,andshequicklybecameanoutsiderwanderingthecorridorsofMiltonlikeastraycat.Shewasgenerallyconsideredahopelesscase.
Afteramonthofnothingbuttrouble,Armanskysentforher,fullyintendingtolethergo.Shelistenedtohiscatalogueofheroffenceswithoutobjectionandwithoutevenraisinganeyebrow.Shedidnothavethe“rightattitude,”heconcluded,andwasabouttotellherthatitwouldprobablybeagoodideaifshelookedforemploymentwithanotherfirmthatcouldmakebetteruseofherskills.Onlythendi