d:peopleonbothsidesofthebridgehurriedtotrytohelp;theriskoffirewassignificantandamajoralarmwassounded.Policeofficers,anambulance,therescuesquad,thefirebrigade,reportersandsightseersarrivedinrapidsuession.Naturallyallofthemassembledonthemainlandside;hereontheislandsidewedidwhatwecouldtogetAronssonoutofthewreck,whichprovedtobedamnablydifficult.Hewaspinnedinandseriouslyinjured.
“Wetriedtoprisehimloosewithourbarehands,andthatdidn’twork.Hewouldhavetobecutorsawedout,butwecouldn’tdoanythingthatriskedstrikingaspark;wewerestandinginthemiddleofaseaofoilnexttoatankertrucklyingonitsside.Ifithadexplodedwewouldhaveallbeenkilled.Ittookalongtimebeforewecouldgethelpfromthemainlandside;thetruckwaswedgedrightacrossthebridge,andclimbingoveritwouldhavebeenthesameasclimbingoverabomb.”
Blomkvistcouldnotresistthefeelingthattheoldmanwastellingameticulouslyrehearsedstory,deliberatelytocapturehisinterest.Themanwasanexcellentstoryteller,noquestion.Ontheotherhand,wherewasthestoryheading?
“Whatmattersabouttheaidentisthatthebridgewasblockedfortwenty-fourhours.NotuntilSundayeveningwasthelastoftheoilpumpedout,andthenthetruckcouldbeliftedupbycraneandthebridgeopenedfortraffic.Duringthesetwenty-fourhoursHedebyIslandwastoallintentsandpurposescutofffromtherestoftheworld.Theonlywaytogetacrosstothemainlandwasonafireboatthatwasbroughtintotransportpeoplefromthesmall-boatharbouronthissidetotheoldharbourbelowthechurch.Forseveralhourstheboatwasusedonlybyrescuecrews—itwasn’tuntilquitelateonSaturdaynightthatstrandedislandersbegantobeferriedacross.Doyouunderstandthesignificanceofthis?”
“IassumethatsomethinghappenedtoHarriethereontheisland,”Blomkvistsaid,“andthatthelistofsuspectsconsistsofthefinitenumberofpeopletrappedhere.Asortoflocked-roommysteryinislandformat?”
Vangersmiledironically.“Mikael,youdon’tknowhowrightyouare.EvenIhavereadmyDorothySayers.Thesearethefacts:Harrietarrivedhereontheislandabout2:10.Ifwealsoincludechildrenandunmarriedguests,allinallaboutfortyfamilymembersarri