I’dlikeyoutoleave.Don’task.Justleave.”
Mikaelfirstwalkedbacktothecottage,butpausedatthegate,undecided.Insteadofgoinginhewentdowntothewaterbythebridgeandsatonarock.HesmokedacigarettewhilehesortedouthisthoughtsandwonderedwhatcouldhavesodramaticallychangedCeciliaVanger’sattitudetowardshim.
Hesuddenlyheardthesoundofanengineandsawabigwhiteboatslipintothesoundbeneaththebridge.Whenitpassed,MikaelsawthatitwasMartinVangerstandingatthewheel,withhisgazefocusedonavoidingsunkenrocksinthewater.Theboatwasaforty-footmotorcruiser—animpressivebundleofpower.Hestoodupandtookthebeachpath.Hediscoveredthatseveralboatswerealreadyinthewateratvariousdocks,amixtureofmotorboatsandsailingboats.TherewereseveralPetterssonboats,andatonedockanIF-classyachtwasrockinginthewake.Otherboatswerelargerandmoreexpensivevessels.HenoticedaHallberg-Rassy.TheboatsalsoindicatedtheclassdistributionofHedeby’smarina—MartinVangerhadwithoutadoubtthelargestandtheplushestboatinview.
HestoppedbelowCeciliaVanger’shouseandstoleaglanceatthelightedwindowsonthetopfloor.Thenhewenthomeandputonsomecoffeeofhisown.Hewentintohisofficewhilehewaitedforittobrew.
BeforehepresentedhimselfattheprisonhehadreturnedthemajorityofVanger’sdocumentationonHarriet.Ithadseemedwisenottoleaveitinanemptyhouse.Nowtheshelveslookedbare.Hehad,ofthereports,onlyfiveofVanger’sownnotes,andthesehehadtakenwithhimtoRull?kerandnowknewbyheart.Henoticedanalbumonthetopshelfofthecasethathehadfotten.
Hecarriedittothekitchentable.Hepouredhimselfcoffeeandbegangoingthroughit.
TheywerephotographsthathadbeentakenonthedayHarrietdisappeared.ThefirstofthemwasthelastphotographofHarriet,attheChildren’sDayparadeinHedestad.Thenthereweresome180crystal-clearpicturesofthesceneoftheaidentonthebridge.Hehadexaminedtheimagesonebyonewithamagnifyingglassonseveraloasionspreviously.Nowheturnedthepagesalmostabsent-mindedly;heknewhewasnotgoingtofindanythinghehadnotseenbefore.InfacthefeltallofasuddenfedupwiththeunexplainabledisappearanceofHarrietVang