ticallyallnighthesleptheavilyuntilwellintotheafternoon.Heawokewithaheadache,tookashower,andwalkedtoSusanne’sforbreakfast.HeoughttohavegooseeVangerandreportwhathehaddiscovered.Instead,whenhecameback,hewenttoCecilia’shouseandknockedonthedoor.HeneededtoaskherwhyshehadliedtohimaboutbeinginHarriet’sroom.No-onecametothedoor.
Hewasjustleavingwhenheheard:“Yourwhoreisn’thome.”
Gollumhademergedfromhiscave.Hewasoncetall,almostsixfootsix,butnowsostoopedwithagethathiseyeswerelevelwithBlomkvist’s.Hisfaceandneckweresplotchedwithdarkliverspots.Hewasinhispyjamasandabrowndressinggown,leaningonacane.HelookedlikeaCentralCastingnastyoldman.
“Whatdidyousay?”
“Isaidthatyourwhoreisn’thome.”
BlomkviststeppedsoclosethathewasalmostnosetonosewithHaraldVanger.
“You’retalkingaboutyourowndaughter,youfuckingpig.”
“I’mnottheonewhoessneakingoverhereinthenight,”Haraldsaidwithatoothlesssmile.Hesmelledfoul.Blomkvistsidesteppedhimandwentdowntheroadwithoutlookingback.HefoundVangerinhisoffice.
“I’vejusthadthepleasureofmeetingyourbrother,”Mikaelsaid.
“Harald?Well,well,so,he’sventuredout.Hedoesthatacoupleoftimesayear.”
“IwasknockingonCecilia’sdoorwhenthisvoicebehindmesaid,quote,Yourwhoreisn’thome,unquote.”
“ThatsoundslikeHarald,”Vangersaidcalmly.
“Hecalledhisowndaughterawhore,forGod’ssake.”
“He’sbeendoingthatforyears.That’swhytheydon’ttalkmuch.”
“Whydoeshecallherthat?”
“Cecilialosthervirginitywhenshewastwenty-one.IthappenedhereinHedestadafterasummerromance,theyearafterHarrietdisappeared.”
“And?”
“ThemanshefellinlovewithwascalledPeterSamuelsson.HewasafinancialassistantattheVangerCorporation.Abrightboy.TodayheworksforABB.ThekindofmanIwouldhavebeenproudtohaveasmyson-in-lawifsheweremydaughter.Haraldmeasuredhisskullorcheckedhisfamilytreeorsomethinganddiscoveredthathewasone-quarterJewish.”
“GoodLord.”
“He’scalledherawhoreeversince.”
“HeknewthatCeciliaandIhave…”
“Everyb