einitialsNEB.Steel-rimmedglasses.Greyeyes.Tojudgebythemagazinesonthesidetable,hisinterestswerehuntingandshooting.
DuringtheyearsshehadknownPalmgren,hehadalwaysofferedhercoffeeandchattedwithher.Notevenherworstescapesfromfosterhomesorherregulartruancyfromschoolhadeverruffledhisposure.TheonlytimePalmgrenhadbeenreallyupsetwaswhenshehadbeenchargedwithassaultandbatteryafterthatscumbaghadgropedherinGamlaStan.Doyouunderstandwhatyou’vedone?Youhaveharmedanotherhumanbeing,Lisbeth.Hehadsoundedlikeanoldteacher,andshehadpatientlyignoredeverywordofhisscolding.
Bjurmandidnothavetimeforsmalltalk.HehadimmediatelyconcludedthattherewasadiscrepancybetweenPalmgren’sobligations,aordingtotheregulationsofguardianship,andthefactthathehadapparentlyallowedtheSalandergirltotakechargeofherownhouseholdandfinances.Bjurmanstartedinonasortofinterrogation:Howmuchdoyouearn?Iwantacopyofyourfinancialrecords.Whodoyouspendtimewith?Doyoupayyourrentontime?Doyoudrink?DidPalmgrenapproveofthoseringsyouhaveonyourface?Areyoucarefulabouthygiene?
Fuckyou.
PalmgrenhadbeehertrusteerightafterAllTheEvilhadhappened.Hehadinsistedonmeetingswithheratleastonceamonth,sometimesmoreoften.AftershemovedbacktoLundagatan,theywerealsopracticallyneighbours.HelivedonHornsgatan,acoupleofblocksaway,andtheywouldrunintoeachotherandgoforcoffeeatGiffy’sorsomeothercafénearby.Palmgrenhadnevertriedtoimpose,butafewtimeshehadvisitedher,bringingsomelittlegiftforherbirthday.Shehadastandinginvitationtovisithimwheneversheliked,aprivilegethatsheseldomtookadvantageof.ButwhenshemovedtoS?der,shehadstartedspendingChristmasEvewithhimaftershewenttoseehermother.TheywouldeatChristmashamandplaychess.Shehadnorealinterestinthegame,butaftershelearnedtherules,sheneverlostamatch.Hewasawidower,andSalanderhadseenitasherdutytotakepityonhimonthoselonelyholidays.
Sheconsideredherselfinhisdebt,andshealwayspaidherdebts.
ItwasPalmgrenwhohadsublethermother’sapartmentonLundagatanforheruntilSalanderneededherownplacetolive.Theapartm