singinpoliticalcoverage;shecouldbethemostjadedcynichehadevermet.She’dbeenatMillenniumfornineyearsandwasthriving.HenryCortezwastheyoungestemployeeontheeditorialstaff.HehadeasaninternstraightoutofJMKtwoyearsago,sayingthathewantedtoworkatMillenniumandnowhereelse.Bergerhadnobudgettohirehim,butsheofferedhimadeskinacornerandsoontookhimonasapermanentdogsbody,andanonasastaffreporter.
Bothutteredcriesofdelight.Hereceivedkissesonthecheekandpatsontheback.Atoncetheyaskedhimifhewasreturningtowork.No,hehadjuststoppedbytosayhelloandhaveawordwiththeboss.
Bergerwasgladtoseehim.SheaskedaboutVanger’scondition.BlomkvistknewnomorethanwhatFrodecouldtellhim:hisconditionwasinescapablyserious.
“Sowhatareyoudoinginthecity?”
Blomkvistwasembarrassed.HehadbeenatMiltonSecurity,onlyafewstreetsaway,andhehaddecidedonsheerimpulsetoein.Itseemedtooplicatedtoexplainthathehadbeentheretohirearesearchassistantwhowasasecurityconsultantwhohadhackedintohisputer.InsteadheshruggedandsaidhehadetoStockholmonVanger-relatedbusiness,andhewouldhavetogobacknorthatonce.Heaskedhowthingsweregoingatthemagazine.
“Apartfromthegoodnewsontheadvertisingandthesubscriptionfronts,thereisonecloudonthehorizon.”
“Whichis?”
“JanneDahlman.”
“Ofcourse.”
“IhadatalkwithhiminApril,afterwereleasedthenewsthatHenrikhadbeeapartner.Idon’tknowifit’sjustJanne’snaturetobenegativeorifthere’ssomethingmoreseriousgoingon,ifhe’splayingsomesortofgame.”
“Whathappened?”
“It’snothingIcanputafingeron,ratherthatInolongertrusthim.AfterwesignedtheagreementwithVanger,ChristerandIhadtodecidewhethertormthewholestaffthatwewerenolongeratriskofgoingunderthisautumn,or…”
“Ortotelljustachosenfew.”
“Exactly.Imaybeparanoid,butIdidn’twanttoriskhavingDahlmanleakthestory.Sowedecidedtormthewholestaffonthesamedaytheagreementwasmadepublic.Whichmeantthatwekeptthelidonitforoveramonth.”
“And?”
“Well,thatwasthefirstpieceofgoodnewsthey’dhadinayear.EveryonecheeredexceptforDahlm