MartinandHarrietweremoreorlesslefttofendforthemselves.”
Vangerglancedattheclock.
“Mythirtyminutesarealmostup,butI’mclosetotheendofthestory.Willyougivemeareprieve?”
“Goon,”Blomkvistsaid.
“Inshort,then.Iwaschildless—instrikingcontrasttomybrothersandotherfamilymembers,whoseemedobsessedwiththeneedtopropagatethehouseofVanger.GottfriedandIsabelladidmovehere,buttheirmarriagewasontherocks.AfteronlyayearGottfriedmovedouttohiscabin.HelivedtherealoneforlongperiodsandwentbacktoIsabellawhenitgottoocold.ItookcareofMartinandHarriet,andtheybecameinmanywaysthechildrenIneverhad.
“Martinwas…totellthetruth,therewasatimeinhisyouthwhenIwasafraidhewasgoingtofollowinhisfather’sfootsteps.Hewasweakandintrovertedandmelancholy,buthecouldalsobedelightfulandenthusiastic.Hehadsometroubledyearsinhisteens,buthestraightenedhimselfoutwhenhestartedattheuniversity.Heis…well,inspiteofeverythingheisCEOofwhat’sleftoftheVangerCorporation,whichIsupposeistohiscredit.”
“AndHarriet?”
“Harrietwastheappleofmyeye.Itriedtogiveherasenseofsecurityanddevelopherself-confidence,andwetookalikingtoeachother.Ilookedonherasmyowndaughter,andsheendedupbeingclosertomethantoherparents.Yousee,Harrietwasveryspecial.Shewasintroverted—likeherbrother—andasateenagershebecamewrappedupinreligion,unlikeanyoneelseinthefamily.Butshehadacleartalentandshewastremendouslyintelligent.Shehadbothmoralsandbackbone.WhenshewasfourteenorfifteenIwasconvincedthatshewastheone—andnotherbrotheroranyofthemediocrecousins,nephews,andniecesaroundme—whowasdestinedtoruntheVangerbusinessoneday,oratleastplayacentralroleinit.”
“Sowhathappened?”
“NowweetotherealreasonIwanttohireyou.IwantyoutofindoutwhointhefamilymurderedHarriet,andwhosincethenhasspentalmostfortyyearstryingtodrivemeinsane.”
CHAPTER5
Thursday,December26
Forthefirsttimesincehebeganhismonologue,theoldmanhadmanagedtotakeBlomkvistbysurprise.Hehadtoaskhimtorepeatittobesurehehadheardcorrectly.Nothinginthecuttings