oiletandgotacupofcoffeefromtheespressomachihatArmanskyhadboughtwhenatlonglastherecognisedthatSalanderwouldnevermakecoffeejustbecauseitwasexpectedofher.Thenshewenttoherofficeandhungherleatherjacketoverthebackofherchair.
Theofficewasa61/2-by-10-footglasscubicle.TherewasadeskwithanoldmodelDelldesktopPC,atelephone,oneofficechair,ametalwastepaperbasket,andashelf.Theshelfcontainedanassortmentofdirectoriesandthreeblanknotes.Thetwodeskdrawershousedsomeballpoints,paperclips,andanote.Onthewindowsillstoodapottedplantwithbrown,witheredleaves.Salanderlookedthoughtfullyattheplant,asifitwerethefirsttimeshehadseenit,thenshedepositeditfirmlyinthewastepaperbasket.
Sheseldomhadanythingtodoinherofficeandvisiteditnomorethanhalfadozentimesayear,mainlywhensheneededtositbyherselfandprepareareportjustbeforehandingitin.Armanskyhadinsistedthatshehaveherownspace.Hisreasoningwasthatshewouldthenfeellikepartofthepanyalthoughsheworkedasafreelancer.ShesuspectedthatArmanskyhopedthatthiswayhewouldhaveachancetokeepaneyeonherandmeddleinheraffairs.Atfirstshehadbeengivenspacefartherdownthecorridor,inalargerroomthatshewasexpectedtosharewithacolleague.ButsinceshewasneverthereArmanskyfinallymovedherintothecubbyholeattheendofthecorridor.
Salandertookoutthecuff.Shelookedatit,meditativelybitingherlowerlip.
Itwaspast11:00andshewasaloneonthefloor.Shesuddenlyfeltexcruciatinglybored.
AfterawhileshegotupandwalkedtotheendofthehallandtriedthedoortoArmansky’soffice.Locked.Shelookedaround.ThechancesofanyourningupinthecorridoraroundmidnightonDecember26werealmostnonexistent.Sheopenedthedoorwithapiratecopyofthepany’scardkey,whichshehadtakenthetroubletomakeseveralyearsbefore.
Armansky’sofficewasspacious:infrontofhisdeskwereguestchairs,andaconferencetablewithroomforeightpeoplewasinthecorner.Itwasimpeablyneat.Shehadnotsnoopedinhisofficeforquitesometime,butnowthatshewashere…Shespentawhileathisdesktobringherselfuptodateregardingthesearchforasuspectedmoleinthepany,whichofhercolleaguesha