m,butthecrisisgoesdeeperthanthat.It’samatteroftrust.Itdoesn’tmatterhowmanyadvertiserswehaveifno-onewantstobuythemagazine.”
“Irealisethat.I’mstillontheboardofdirectorsofquitealargecorporation,albeitinapassiverole.Wehavetoplaceadvertisementssomewhere.Let’sdiscussthematteratsomestage.Wouldyouliketohavedinner…”
“No.Iwanttogetsettled,buysomegroceries,andtakealookaround.TomorrowI’llgotoHedestadandshopforwinterclothes.”
“Goodidea.”
“I’dlikethefilesaboutHarriettobemovedovertomyplace.”
“Theyneedtobehandled…”
“Withgreatcare—Iunderstand.”
Blomkvistreturnedtotheguesthouse.Histeethwerechatteringbythetimehegotindoors.Thethermometeroutsidethewindowsaid5°F,andhecouldn’tremembereverfeelingsocoldasafterthatwalk,whichhadlastedbarelytwentyminutes.
Hespentanhoursettlinghimselfintowhatwastobehishomefortheingyear.Heputhisclothesinthewardrobeinthebedroom,histoiletrieswentinthebathroomcabi.Hissecondsuitcasewasactuallyatrunkonwheels.Fromithetooks,CDsandaCDplayer,notes,aSanyotaperecorder,aMicrotekscanner,aportableink-jetprinter,aMinoltadigitalcamera,andanumberofotheritemsheregardedasessentialkitforayearinexile.
HearrangedthesandtheCDsontheshelfintheofficealongsidetwobinderscontainingresearchmaterialonHans-ErikWennerstr?m.Thematerialwasuseless,buthecouldnotletitgo.Somehowhehadtoturnthosetwofoldersintobuildingblocksforhiscontinuingcareer.
Finallyheopenedhisshoulderbagandputhisionthedeskintheoffice.Thenhestoppedandlookedabouthimwithasheepishexpression.Thebenefitsoflivinginthecountryside,forsooth.Therewasnowheretopluginthebroadbandcable.Hedidnotevenhaveatelephonejacktoconnectanolddial-upmodem.
BlomkvistcalledtheTeliatelephonepanyfromhismobile.Afteraslighthassle,hemanagedtogetsomeoofindtheorderthatVangerhadplacedfortheguesthouse.HewantedtoknowwhethertheconnectioncouldhandleADSLandwastoldthatitwouldbepossiblebywayofarelayinHedeby,andthatitwouldtakeseveraldays.
Itwasafter4:00bythetimeBlomkvistwasdone.Heputonapairofth