Everythingwasclosed.Hedestadwaspracticallydeserted,andtheinhabitantsseemedtohaveretreatedtotheirMidsummerpolesattheirsummercottages.BlomkvistmadefortheStadshotelterrace,whichwasactuallyopen,andtherehewasabletoordercoffeeandasandwichandreadtheeveningpapers.Nothingofimportancewashappeningintheworld.
HeputthepaperdownandthoughtaboutCeciliaVanger.Hehadtoldno-one—apartfromtheSalandergirl—thatshewastheonewhohadopenedthewindowinHarriet’sroom.Hewasafraidthatitwouldmakeherasuspect,andthelastthinghewantedtodowashurther.Butthequestionwasgoingtohavetobeasked,soonerorlater.
HesatontheterraceforanhourbeforehedecidedtosetthewholeproblemasideanddevoteMidsummerEvetosomethingotherthantheVangerfamily.Hismobilewassilent.Bergerwasawayamusingherselfsomewherewithherhusband,andhehadno-ootalkto.
HewentbacktoHedebyIslandataround4:00intheafternoonandmadeanotherdecision—tostopsmoking.Hehadbeenworkingoutregularlyeversincehedidhismilitaryservice,bothatthegymandbyrunningalongS?derM?larstrand,buthadfallenoutofthehabitwhentheproblemswithWennerstr?mbegan.ItwasatRull?kerPrisonthathehadstartingpumpingironagain,mostlyastherapy.Butsincehisreleasehehadtakenalmostnoexercise.Itwastimetostartagain.HeputonhistracksuitandsetoffatalazypacealongtheroadtoGottfried’scabin,turnedofftowardstheFortress,andtookaroughercoursecrosscountry.Hehaddonenoorienteeringsincehewasinthemilitary,buthehadalwaysthoughtitwasmorefuntorunthroughawoodedterrainthanonaflattrack.Hefollowedthefencearound?sterg?rdenbacktothevillage.Hewasachingalloverandoutofbreathbythetimehetookthelaststepsuptotheguesthouse.
At6:00hetookashower.Heboiledsomepotatoesandhadopensandwichesofpickledherringinmustardsaucewithchivesandeggonaricketytableoutsidethecottage,facingthebridge.Hepouredhimselfashotofaquavitanddrankatoasttohimself.AfterthatheopenedacrimenovelbyValMcDermidentitledTheMermaidsSinging.
Ataround7:00Frodedroveupandsatheavilyinthechairacrossfromhim.BlomkvistpouredhimashotofSk?neaquavit.
“Youstirredup