’vetakencareofmyselfsinceIwasten,youcreep!
“Youfunctionwellenoughinsocialtermsthatyoudon’tneedtobeinstitutionalised,butthissocietyisresponsibleforyou.”
HequestionedhercloselyaboutwhatkindofworkassignmentsshewasgivenatMiltonSecurity.Shehadinstinctivelyliedaboutherduties.TheanswershegavehimwasadescriptionofherveryfirstweeksatMilton.Bjurmangottheimpressionthatshemadecoffeeandsortedthepost—suitableenoughtasksforsomeonewhowasalittleslow—andseemedsatisfied.
Shedidnotknowwhyshehadlied,butshewassureitwasawisedecision.
BlomkvisthadspentfivehourswithVanger,andittookmuchofthenightandallofTuesdaytotypeuphisnotesandpiecetogetherthegenealogyintoaprehensiblewhole.Thefamilyhistorythatemergedwasadramaticallydifferentversionfromtheonepresentedastheofficialimageofthefamily.Everyfamilyhadafewskeletonsintheircupboards,buttheVangerfamilyhadanentiregallimaufryofthem.
BlomkvisthadhadtoremindhimselfseveraltimesthathisrealassignmentwasnottowriteabiographyoftheVangerfamilybuttofindoutwhathadhappenedtoHarrietVanger.TheVangerbiographywouldbenomorethanplayingtothegallery.Afterayearhewouldreceivehispreposteroussalary—thecontractdrawnupbyFrodehadbeensigned.Histruereward,hehoped,wouldbethermationaboutWennerstr?mthatVangerclaimedtopossess.ButafterlisteningtoVanger,hebegantoseethattheyeardidnothavetobeawasteoftime.AabouttheVangerfamilyhadsignificantvalue.Itwas,quitesimply,aterrificstory.
TheideathathemightlightuponHarrietVanger’skillernevercrossedhismind—assumingshehadbeenmurdered,thatis,anddidnotjustdieinsomefreakaident.BlomkvistagreedwithVangerthatthechancesofasixteen-year-oldgirlgoingoffofherownaordandthenstayinghiddenforthirty-sixyears,despitetheoversightofallthegovernmentbureaucracy,werenonexistent.Ontheotherhand,hedidnotexcludethepossibilitythatHarrietVangerhadrunaway,maybeheadingforStockholm,andthatsomethinghadbefallenhersubsequently—drugs,prostitution,anassault,oranaidentpureandsimple.
Vangerwasconvinced,forhispart,thatHarriethadbeenmurderedand