sforpoliticalprisonersinthethirdworld.Helivedinafive-roomapartmentonUpplandsgatannearOdenplan,andhewasthesecretaryofhisco-opapartmentassociation.Hewasdivorcedandhadnochildren.
Salanderfocusedonhisex-wife,whosenamewasElena.ShewasborninPolandbuthadlivedallherlifeinSweden.SheworkedatarehabilitationcentreandwasapparentlyhappilyremarriedtooneofBjurman’sformercolleagues.Nothingusefulthere.TheBjurmanmarriagehadlastedfourteenyears,andthedivorcewentthroughwithoutdisputes.
AdvokatBjurmanregularlyactedasasupervisorforyouthswhogotintotroublewiththelaw.HehadbeentrusteeforfouryouthsbeforehebecameSalander’sguardian.Allofthesecasesinvolvedminors,andtheassignmentscametoanendwithacourtdecisionwhentheycameofage.OneoftheseclientsstillconsultedBjurmaninhisroleasadvokat,sotheredidnotseemtobeanyanimositythereeither.IfBjurmanhadbeensystematicallyexploitinghiswards,therewasnosignofit,andnomatterhowdeeplySalanderprobed,shecouldfindnotraceofwrongdoing.Allfourhadestablishedlivesforthemselveswithaboyfriendorgirlfriend;theyallhadjobs,placestolive,andCo-opdebitcards.
Shecalledeachofthefourclients,introducingherselfasasocialwelfaresecretaryworkingonastudyabouthowchildrenhithertounderthecareofatrusteefaredlaterinlifeparedtootherchildren.Yes,naturally,everyonewillbeanonymous.Shehadputtogetheraquestionnairewithtenquestions,whichsheaskedonthetelephone.Severalofthequestionsweredesignedtogettherespondentstogivetheirviewsonhowwellthetrusteeshiphadfunctioned—iftheyhadanyopinionsabouttheirowntrustee,AdvokatBjurmanwasn’tit?No-onehadanythingbadtosayabouthim.
WhenSalanderpletedherferreting,shegatheredupthedocumentsinabagfromIcaandputitoutwiththetwentybagsofoldnewspapersoutthehall.Bjurmanwasapparentlybeyondreproach.Therewasnothinginhispastthatshecoulduse.Sheknewbeyondadoubtthathewasacreepandapig,butshecouldfindnothingtoproveit.
Itwastimetoconsideranotheroption.Afteralltheanalysesweredone,onepossibilityremainedthatstartedtolookmoreandmoreattractive—oratleastseemedtobe