eallymeticulous,aren’tyou?Whydidn’tyouputitinthereport?”
“Youareadultswhoobviouslylikeeachother.Whatyoudoinbedisnobody’sbusiness,andtheonlythingIwouldhaveachievedbytalkingaboutherwastohurtbothofyou,ortoprovidesomeonewithblackmailmaterial.Idon’tknowFrode—thermationcouldhaveendedupwithWennerstr?m.”
“Andyoudon’twanttoprovideWennerstr?mwithrmation?”
“IfIhadtochoosebetweenyouandhim,I’dprobablyendupinyourcourt.”
“ErikaandIhavea…ourrelationshipis…”
“Please,Ireallydon’tgiveatossaboutwhatsortofrelationshipyouhave.Butyouhaven’tansweredmyquestion:whatdoyouplantodoaboutmyhackingintoyourputer?”
“Lisbeth,I’mnotheretoblackmailyou.I’mheretoaskyoutohelpmedosomeresearch.Youcansayyesorno.Ifyousayno,fine,I’llfindsomeoneelseandyou’llneverhearfrommeagain.”
CHAPTER19
Thursday,June19–Sunday,June29
WhilehewaitedforwordonwhetherVangerwasgoingtopullthroughornot,Blomkvistspentthedaysgoingoverhismaterials.HekeptinclosetouchwithFrode.OnThursdayeveningFrodebroughthimthenewsthattheimmediatecrisisseemedtobeover.
“Iwasabletotalktohimforawhiletoday.Hewantstoseeyouassoonaspossible.”
Soitwasthat,around1:00ontheafternoonofMidsummerEve,BlomkvistdrovetoHedestadHospitalandwentinsearchoftheward.HeencounteredanangryBirgerVanger,whoblockedhisway.Henrikcouldnotpossiblyreceivevisitors,hesaid.
“That’sodd,”Blomkvistsaid,“Henriksentwordsayingthatheexpresslywantedtoseemetoday.”
“You’renotamemberofthefamily;youhavenobusinesshere.”
“You’reright.I’mnotamemberofthefamily.ButI’mworkingforHenrikVanger,andItakeordersonlyfromhim.”
ThismighthaveledtoaheatedexchangeifFrodehadnotatthatmomenteoutofVanger’sroom.
“Oh,thereyouare.Henrikhasbeenaskingafteryou.”
FrodeheldopenthedoorandBlomkvistwalkedpastBirgerintotheroom.
Vangerlookedtohaveagedtenyears.Hewaslyingwithhiseyeshalfclosed,anoxygentubeinhisnose,andhishairmoredishevelledthanever.AnursestoppedBlomkvist,puttingahandfirmlyonhisarm.
“Twominutes.N