omore.Anddon’tupsethim.”Blomkvistsatonavisitor’schairsothathecouldseeVanger’sface.Hefeltatendernessthatastonishedhim,andhestretchedouthishandtogentlysqueezetheoldman’shand.
“Anynews?”Thevoicewasweak.
Blomkvistnodded.
“I’llgiveyouareportassoonasyou’rebetter.Ihaven’tsolvedthemysteryyet,butI’vefoundmorenewstuffandI’mfollowingupanumberofleads.Inaweek,perhapstwo,I’llbeabletotelltheresults.”
ThemostVangercouldmanagewastoblink,indicatingthatheunderstood.
“Ihavetobeawayforafewdays.”
Henrikraisedhiseyebrows.
“I’mnotjumpingship.Ihavesomeresearchtodo.I’vereachedanagreementwithDirchthatIshouldreporttohim.IsthatOKwithyou?”
“Dirchis…myman…inallmatters.”
BlomkvistsqueezedVanger’shandagain.
“Mikael…ifIdon’t…Iwantyouto…finishthejob.”
“Iwillfinishthejob.”
“Dirchhas…full…”
“Henrik,Iwantyoutogetbetter.I’dbefuriouswithyouifyouwentanddiedafterI’vemadesuchprogress.”
“Twominutes,”thenursesaid.
“Nexttimewe’llhavealongtalk.”
BirgerVangerwaswaitingforhimwhenhecameout.Hestoppedhimbylayingahandonhisshoulder.
“Idon’twantyoubotheringHenrikanymore.He’sveryill,andhe’snotsupposedtobeupsetordisturbed.”
“Iunderstandyourconcern,andIsympathise.AndI’mnotgoingtoupsethim.”
“EveryoneknowsthatHenrikhiredyoutopokearoundinhislittlehobby…Harriet.DirchsaidthatHenrikbecameveryupsetafteraconversationyouhadwithhimbeforehehadtheheartattack.Heevensaidthatyouthoughtyouhadcausedtheattack.”
“Idon’tthinksoanymore.Henrikhadsevereblockagesinhisarteries.Hecouldhavehadaheartattackjustbyhavingapee.I’msureyouknowthatbynow.”
“Iwantfulldisclosureintothislunacy.Thisismyfamilyyou’remuckingaroundin.”
“Itoldyou,IworkforHenrik,notforthefamily.”
BirgerVangerwasapparentlynotusedtohavinganyonestanduptohim.ForamomenthestaredatBlomkvistwithanexpressionthatwaspresumablymeanttoinstilrespect,butwhichmadehimlookmorelikeaninflatedmoose.BirgerturnedandwentintoVanger’sroom.
Blomkv