“newproofmaterial.”Hehadseensomethingentirelynew,somethingno-oneelsehadnoticedinaninvestigationthathadbeenmarkingtimeforthirty-sevenyears.
Theproblemwasthathewasn’tsurewhatvaluehisnewrmationhad,ifindeeditcouldhaveanyatall.Andyethefeltitwasgoingtoprovesignificant.
TheSeptemberdaywhenHarrietdisappearedhadbeendramaticinanumberofways.IthadbeenadayofcelebrationinHedestadwithcrowdsofseveralthousandinthestreets,youngandold.Ithadbeenthefamily’sannualassemblyonHedebyIsland.Thesetwoeventsalonerepresenteddeparturesfromthedailyroutineofthearea.Thecrashonthebridgehadovershadowedeverythingelse.
InspectorMorell,HenrikVanger,andeveryoneelsewhohadbroodedaboutHarriet’sdisappearancehadfocusedontheeventsatHedebyIsland.MorellhadevenwrittenthathecouldnotridhimselfofthesuspicionthattheaidentandHarriet’sdisappearancewererelated.Blomkvistwasnowconvincedthatthisnotionwaswrong.
ThechainofeventshadstartednotonHedebyIslandbutinHedestadseveralhoursearlier.HarrietVangerhadseensomethingorsomeoofrightenherandprompthertogohome,gostraighttoheruncle,whounhappilydidnothavetimetolistentoher.Thentheaidentonthebridgehappened.Thenthemurdererstruck.
Blomkvistpaused.ItwasthefirsttimehehadconsciouslyformulatedtheassumptionthatHarriethadbeenmurdered.HeaeptedVanger’sbelief.Harrietwasdeadandhewashuntingforakiller.
Hewentbacktothepolicereport.AmongallthethousandsofpagesonlyafractiondealtwiththeeventsinHedestad.Harriethadbeenwiththreeofherclassmates,allofwhomhadbeeninterviewed.Theyhadmetattheparkbythestationat9:00.Oneofthegirlswasgoingtobuysomejeans,andherfriendswentwithher.TheyhadcoffeeintheEPAdepartmentstorecafeteriaandthenwentuptothesportsfieldandstrolledaroundamongthecarnivalboothsandfishingponds,wheretheyranintosomeotherfriendsfromschool.Atnoontheywanderedbackintotowntowatchtheparade.Justbefore2:00intheafternoonHarrietsuddenlytoldthemthatshehadtogohome.TheysaidgoodbyeatabusstopnearJ?rnv?gsgatan.
Noneofherfriendshadnoticedanythingunusual.OneofthemwasIngerStenber