ewlyshovelledcourtyardinfrontofasmalltimberedhouseclosetotheendofthebridge.Thehousewasnotlocked.TheysteppedintoamodesthallwaywhereBlomkvist,withasighofrelief,putdownhissuitcases.
“Thisiswhatwecallourguesthouse.It’swhereweusuallyputpeopleupwhoaregoingtostayforalongerperiodoftime.Thiswaswhereyouandyourparentslivedin1963.It’soneoftheoldestbuildingsinthevillage,butit’sbeenmodernised.IaskedNilsson,mycaretaker,tolightthefirethismorning.”
Thehouseconsistedofalargekitchenandtwosmallerrooms,totallingabout500squarefeet.Thekitchentookuphalfthespaceandwasquitemodern,withanelectricstoveandasmallrefrigerator.Againstthewallfacingthefrontdoorstoodanoldcast-ironstoveinwhichafirehadindeedbeenlitearlierintheday.
“Youdon’tneedtousethewoodstoveunlessitgetsbitterlycold.Thefirewoodbinisthereinthehallway,andyou’llfindawoodshedattheback.Thehousehasbeenunlived-inthisautumn.Theelectricheatersareusuallysufficient.Justmakesureyoudon’thanganyclothesonthem,oritmaystartafire.”
Blomkvistlookedaround.Windowsfacedthreedifferentdirections,andfromthekitchentablehehadaviewofthebridge,aboutahundredfeetaway.Thefurnishingsinthekitchenincludedthreebigcupboards,somekitchenchairs,anoldbench,andashelffornewspapers.OntopwasanissueofSeefrom1967.Inonecornerwasasmallertablethatcouldbeusedasadesk.
Twonarrowdoorsledtosmallerrooms.Theoneontheright,closesttotheoutsidewall,washardlymorethanacubbyholewithadesk,achair,andsomeshelvesalongthewall.Theotherroom,betweenthehallwayandthelittleoffice,wasaverysmallbedroomwithanarrowdoublebed,abedsidetable,andawardrobe.Onthewallshunglandscapepaintings.Thefurnitureandwallpaperinthehousewerealloldandfaded,buttheplacesmelledniceandclean.Someonehadworkedoverthefloorwithadoseofsoap.Thebedroomhadanotherdoortothehallway,whereastoreroomhadbeenconvertedintoabathroomwithashower.
“Youmayhaveaproblemwiththewater,”Vangersaid.“Wecheckeditthismorning,butthepipesaren’tburiedverydeep,andifthiscoldhangsonforlongtheymayfreeze.There’sabucketinthehallwaysoeupa