quarefootoftheisland.BythattimeIhadbeguntothinkthatsomeonemusthavekilledher.Sotheyalsosearchedforagrave.Theyworkedatitforthreemonths.Wefoundnottheslightestvestigeofthegirl.Itwasasifshehaddissolvedintothinair.”
“Icanthinkofanumberofpossibilities,”Blomkvistventured.
“Let’shearthem.”
“Shecouldhavedrowned,aidentallyoronpurpose.Thisisanisland,andwatercanhidemostthings.”
“True,buttheprobabilityisn’tgreat.Considerthefollowing:ifHarrietmetwithanaidentanddrowned,logicallyitmusthaveourredsomewhereintheimmediatevicinityofthevillage.RememberthattheexcitementonthebridgewasthemostsensationalthingthathadhappenedhereonHedebyIslandinseveraldecades.Itwasnotatimewhenasixteen-year-oldgirlwithanormalsenseofcuriositywoulddecidetogoforawalktotheothersideoftheisland.
“Butmoreimportant,”hesaid,“there’snotmuchofacurrenthere,andthewindsatthattimeofyearwereoutofthenorthornortheast.Ifanythingfallsintothewater,itesupsomewherealongthebeachonthemainland,andoverthereit’sbuiltupalmosteverywhere.Don’tthinkthatwedidn’tconsiderthis.Wedraggedalmostallthespotswhereshecouldconceivablyhavegonedowntothewater.Ialsohiredyoungmenfromascuba-divingclubhereinHedestad.Theyspenttherestoftheseasonbingthebottomofthesoundandalongthebeaches…I’mconvincedshe’snotinthewater;ifshehadbeenwewouldhavefoundher.”
“Butcouldshenothavemetwithanaidentsomewhereelse?Thebridgewasblocked,ofcourse,butit’sashortdistanceovertothemainland.Shecouldhaveswumorrowedacross.”
“ItwaslateSeptemberandthewaterwassocoldthatHarrietwouldhardlyhavesetofftogoswimminginthemidstofallthemotion.Butifshesuddenlygottheideatoswimtothemainland,shewouldhavebeenseenanddrawnalotofattention.Thereweredozensofeyesonthebridge,andonthemainlandsidethereweretwoorthreehundredpeoplealongthewaterwatchingthescene.”
“Arowingboat?”
“No.ThatdaytherewerepreciselythirteenboatsonHedebyIsland.Mostofthepleasureboatswerealreadyinstorageonland.Downinthesmall-boatharbourbythesummercabinsthereweretwoPetterssonboatsinthewater.