untillongafterdarkfell,at10:00atnight.Thetemperatureovernightdroppedtofreezing.
DuringtheafternoonInspectorMorellsetuphisheadquartersinadrawingroomthatHenrikVangerhadputathisdisposalonthegroundflooroftheVangerestateoffice.Hehadundertakenanumberofmeasures.
InthepanyofIsabellaVanger,hehadexaminedHarriet’sroomandtriedtoascertainwhetheranythingwasmissing:clothes,asuitcase,orthelike,whichwouldindicatethatHarriethadrunawayfromhome.Isabella,anoteimplied,hadnotbeenhelpfulanddidnotseemtobefamiliarwithherdaughter’swardrobe.Sheoftenworejeans,buttheyalllookthesame,don’tthey?Harriet’spursewasonherdesk.ItcontainedID,awalletholdingninekronorandfifty?re,ab,amirror,andahandkerchief.Aftertheinspection,Harriet’sroomwaslocked.
Morellhadsummonedmorepeopletobeinterviewed,familymembersandemployees.Alltheinterviewsweremeticulouslyreported.
Whentheparticipantsinthefirstsearchpartybeganreturningwithdishearteningreports,theinspectordecidedthatamoresystematicsearchhadtobemade.Thateveningandnight,rercementswerecalledin.Morellcontacted,amongothers,thechairmanofHedestad’sOrienteeringClubandappealedforhelpinsummoningvolunteersforthesearchparty.Bymidnighthewastoldthatfifty-threemembers,mostlyfromthejuniordivision,wouldbeattheVangerestateat7:00thenextmorning.HenrikVangercalledinpartofthemorningshift,numberingfiftymen,fromthepapermill.Healsoarrangedforfoodanddrinkforthemall.
BlomkvistcouldvividlyimagihescenesplayedoutattheVangerestateduringthosedays.Theaidentonthebridgehadcertainlycontributedtotheconfusionduringthefirsthours—bymakingitdifficulttobringinrercements,andalsobecausepeoplesomehowthoughtthatthesetwodramaticeventshappeningatthesameplaceandclosetothesametimemustinsomewayhavebeenconnected.Whenthetankertruckwashoistedaway,InspectorMorellwentdowntothebridgetobesurethatHarrietVangerhadnot,bysomeunlikelyturnofevents,endedupunderthewreck.ThatwastheonlyirrationalactionthatMikaelcoulddetectintheinspector’sconduct,sincethemissinggirlhadunquestionablybeenseen