ghtbedeadandburied?”
“Idon’tbelievethat.”
Blomkvistraisedhiseyebrowsattheconvictioninhisvoice.
“Let’sfinishdinnerandgobackupstairs.There’sonemoredetailbeforemystoryisdone.Andit’sthemostperplexingofall.”
SalanderparkedtheCorollawiththeautomatictransmissionbythemuterrailwaystationinSundbyberg.ShehadborrowedtheToyotafromMiltonSecurity’smotorpool.Shehadnotexactlyaskedpermission,butArmanskyhadneverexpresslyforbiddenherfromusingMilton’scars.Soonerorlater,shethought,Ihavetogetavehicleofmyown.Shedidownasecond-handKawasaki125,whichsheusedinthesummertime.Duringthewinterthebikewaslockedinhercellar.
ShewalkedtoH?gklintav?genandrangthebellat6:00onthedot.SecondslaterthelockonthestreetdoorclickedandshewentuptwoflightsandrangthedoorbellnexttothenameofSvensson.ShehadnoideawhoSvenssonmightbeorifanysuchpersonevenlivedinthatapartment.
“Hi,Plague,”shesaid.
“Wasp.Youonlypopinwhenyouneedsomething.”
Asusual,itwasdarkintheapartment;thelightfromasinglelampseepedoutintothehallfromthebedroomheusedasanoffice.Theman,whowasthreeyearsolderthanSalander,wassixfoottwoandweighed330pounds.Sheherselfwasfourfeetelevenandweighed90poundsandhadalwaysfeltlikeamidgetnexttoPlague.Theplacesmelledstuffyandstale.
“It’sbecauseyounevertakeabath,Plague.Itsmellslikeamonkeyhouseinhere.IfyoueverwentoutIcouldgiveyousometipsonsoap.TheyhaveitattheKonsum.”
Hegaveherawansmile,butsaidnothing.Hemotionedhertofollowhimintothekitchen.Heploppeddownonachairbythekitchentablewithoutturningonalight.Theonlyilluminationcamefromthestreetlightbeyondthewindow.
“Imean,Imaynotholdtherecordincleaninghouseeither,butifI’vegotoldmilkcartonsthatsmelllikemaggotsIbundlethemupandputthemout.”
“I’monadisabilitypension,”hesaid.“I’msociallyinpetent.”
“Sothat’swhythegovernmentgaveyouaplacetoliveandfotaboutyou.Aren’tyoueverafraidthatyourneighboursaregoingtoplaintotheinspectors?Thenyoumightfetchupinthefunnyfarm.”
“Haveyousomethingforme?”
Salanderunzipp