an.Shechangedandatabout2:00helpedtosetthetableforthebanquetthatevening.
Asanalibi—ifthatiswhatitwas—itwasratherfeeble.Thetimeswereapproximate,especiallythematterofwhenshehadgotbacktoHedebyIsland,butVangerhadnotfoundanythingtoindicatethatshewaslying.CeciliaVangerwasoneofthosepeopleinthefamilythatVangerlikedbest.Andshehadbeenhislover.Howcouldhebeobjective?Hecertainlycouldnotimagineherasamurderer.
NowahithertounknownphotographwastellinghimthatshehadliedwhenshesaidthatshehadneverbeeninHarriet’sroomthatday.Blomkvistwrestledwiththepossiblesignificanceofthat.
Andifyouliedaboutthat,whatelsedidyoulieabout?
HewentthroughinhismindwhatheknewaboutCecilia.Anintrovertedpersonobviouslyaffectedbyherpast.Livedalone,hadnosexlife,haddifficultygettingclosetopeople.Keptherdistance,andwhensheletloosetherewasnorestraint.Shechoseastrangerforalover.Hadsaidthatsheendeditbecauseshewasunabletolivewiththeideathathewouldgofromherlifeasunexpectedlyashehadappeared.Blomkvistsupposedthatthereasonshehaddaredtostartanaffairwithhimwaspreciselythathewasonlythereforawhile.Shedidnothavetobeafraidhewouldchangeherlifeinanylong-termway.
Hesighedandpushedtheamateurpsychologyaside.
Hemadetheseconddiscoveryduringthenight.ThekeytothemysterywaswhatitwasthatHarriethadseeninHedestad.Hewouldneverfindthatoutunlesshecouldinventatimemachineandstandbehindher,lookingoverhershoulder.
Andthenhehadathought.Heslappedhisforeheadandopenedhisi.HeclickedontotheuncroppedimagesintheseriesonJ?rnv?gsgatanand…there!
BehindHarrietandaboutayardtoherrightwereayoungcouple,themaninastripedsweaterandthewomaninapalejacket.Shewasholdingacamera.WhenBlomkvistenlargedtheimageitlookedtobeaKodakInstamaticwithflash—acheapholidaycameraforpeoplewhoknownothingaboutphotography.
Thewomanwasholdingthecameraatchinlevel.Thensheraiseditandtookapictureoftheclowns,justasHarriet’sexpressionchanged.
Blomkvistparedthecamera’spositionwithHarriet’slineofvision.Thewomanhadtakenapictureofexactlywh