”Frodesaid.
Blomkvistnodded.
“It’sanoldindustrialtownwithaharbour.Populationofonly24,000.Butpeoplelikelivinghere.HerrVangerlivesinHedeby—atthesouthernedgeofthetown.”
“Doyouliveheretoo?”
“Idonow.IwasborninSk?nedownsouth,butIstartedworkingforVangerrightafterIgraduatedin1962.I’macorporatelawyer,andovertheyearsHerrVangerandIbecamefriends.TodayI’mofficiallyretired,andHerrVangerismyonlyclient.He’sretiredtoo,ofcourse,anddoesn’tneedmyservicesveryoften.”
“Onlytoscrapeupjournalistswithruinedreputations.”
“Don’tsellyourselfshort.You’renotthefirstooloseamatchagainstHans-ErikWennerstr?m.”
BlomkvistturnedtoFrode,unsurehowtoreadthatreply.
“DoesthisinvitationhaveanythingtodowithWennerstr?m?”hesaid.
“No,”saidFrode.“ButHerrVangerisnotremotelyinWennerstr?m’scircleoffriends,andhefollowedthetrialwithinterest.Hewantstomeetyoutodiscussawhollydifferentmatter.”
“Whichyoudon’twanttotellmeabout.”
“Whichitisn’tmyplacetotellyouabout.WehavearrangeditsothatyoucanspendthenightatHerrVanger’shouse.Ifyouwouldrathernotdothat,wecanyouaroomintheGrandHotelintown.”
“ImightbetakingtheeveningtrainbacktoStockholm.”
TheroadintoHedebywasstillunploughed,andFrodemanoeuvredthecardownfrozentyreruts.TheoldtowncentreconsistedofhousesalongtheGulfofBothnia,andaroundthemlarger,moremodernhomes.Thetownbeganonthemainlandandspilledacrossabridgetoahillyisland.Onthemainlandsideofthebridgestoodasmall,whitestonechurch,andacrossthestreetglowedanold-fashionedneonsignthatreadSUSANNE’SBRIDGECAFéANDBAKERY.Frodedroveaboutahundredyardsfartherandturnedleftontoanewlyshovelledcourtyardinfrontofastonebuilding.Thefarmhousewastoosmalltobecalledamanor,butitwasconsiderablylargerthantherestofthehousesinthesettlement.Thiswasthemaster’sdomain.
“ThisistheVangerfarm,”Frodesaid.“Onceitwasfulloflifeandhubbub,buttodayonlyHenrikandahousekeeperlivethere.Thereareplentyofguestrooms.”
Theygotout.Frodepointednorth.
“Traditionallythepersonwholead