ysomerelativewouldborrowit.
BlomkvistjustmanagedtocatchMartinbeforeheleftforwork.Heaskedifhemightborrowthekey.Martingavehimanamusedsmile.
“IpresumethefamilychroniclehasnowreachedthechapteraboutHarriet.”
“Ijustwanttotakealook…”
Martincamebackwiththekeyinaminute.
“IsitOKthen?”
“AsfarasI’mconcerned,youcanmoveinthereifyouwant.Exceptforthefactthatit’sstuckrightattheotherendoftheisland,it’sactuallyanicerspotthanthecottageyou’rein.”
Blomkvistmadecoffeeandsandwiches.Hefilledabottlewithwaterbeforehesetoff,stuffinghispiiclunchinarucksackheslungoveroneshoulder.Hefollowedanarrow,partiallyovergrownpaththatranalongthebayonthenorthsideofHedebyIsland.Gottfried’scabinwasonapointaboutoneandahalfmilesfromthevillage,andittookhimonlyhalfanhourtocoverthedistanceataleisurelypace.
MartinVangerhadbeenright.WhenBlomkvistcamearoundthebendofthenarrowpath,ashadedareabythewateropenedup.TherewasamarvellousviewoftheinlettotheHedeRiver,Hedestadmarinatotheleft,andtheindustrialharbourtotheright.
Hewassurprisedthatno-onehadwantedtomoveintoGottfried’scabin.Itwasarusticstructuremadeofhorizontaldark-stainedtimberwithatileroofandgreenframes,andwithasmallporchatthefrontdoor.Themaintenanceofthecabinhadbeenneglected.Thepaintaroundthedoorsandwindowswasflakingoff,andwhatshouldhavebeenalawnwasscrubayardhigh.Clearingitwouldtakeonewholeday’shardworkwithscytheandsaw.
Blomkvistunlockedthedoorandunscrewedtheshuttersoverthewindowsfromtheinside.Theframeworkseemedtobeanoldbarnoflessthan1,300squarefeet.Theinsidewasfinishedwithplanksandconsistedofoneroomwithbigwindowsfacingthewateroneithersideofthefrontdoor.Astaircaseledtoanopensleepingloftattherearofthecabinthatcoveredhalfthespace.Beneaththestairswasanichewithapropanegasstove,acounter,andasink.Thefurnishingswerebasic;builtintothewalltotheleftofthedoortherewasbench,aricketydesk,andaboveitacasewithteakshelves.Fartherdownonthesamesidewasabroadwardrobe.Totherightofthedoorwasaroundtablewithfivewoodenchairs