“Thewhore,thefirstwoman,theVirginMary…they’reallthereinthisgroup.Thisissofreakyit’dmakeapsychologist’sheadspin.Butthere’ssomethingelseIthoughtofwithregardtothenames.”
Salanderwaitedpatiently.
“They’reobviouslyalltraditionalJewishnames.TheVangerfamilyhashadmorethanitsshareoffanaticalanti-Semites,Nazis,andconspiracytheorists.TheonlytimeImetHaraldVangerhewasstandingintheroadsnarlingthathisowndaughterwasawhore.Hecertainlyhasproblemswithwomen.”
Whentheygotbacktothecabintheymadeamidnightsnackandheatedupthecoffee.Mikaeltookalookatthealmost500pagesthatDraganArmansky’sfavouriteresearcherhadproducedforhim.
“You’vedoneafantasticjobofdiggingupthesefactsinsuchashorttime,”hesaid.“Thanks.Andthanksalsoforbeingniceenoughtoeuphereandreportonit.”
“Whathappensnow?”Salanderwantedtoknow.
“I’mgoingtotalktoDirchFrodetomorrowandarrangeforyourfeetobepaid.”
“Thatwasn’twhatImeant.”
Blomkvistlookedather.
“Well…IreckonthejobIhiredyouforisdone,”hesaid.
“I’mnotdonewiththis.”
Blomkvistleanedbackagainstthekitchenwallandmethergaze.Hecouldn’treadanythingatallinhereyes.ForhalfayearhehadbeenworkingaloneonHarriet’sdisappearance,andherewasanotherperson—anexperiencedresearcher—whograspedtheimplications.Hemadethedecisiononimpulse.
“Iknow.Thisstoryhasgotundermyskintoo.I’lltalktoFrode.We’llhireyouforaweekortwomoreas…aresearchassistant.Idon’tknowifhe’llwanttopaythesameratehepaystoArmansky,butweshouldbeabletoarrangeabasiclivingwageforyou.”
Salandersuddenlygavehimasmile.Shehadnowishtobeshutoutandwouldhavegladlydohejobforfree.
“I’mfallingasleep,”shesaid,andwithoutfurtheradoshewenttoherroomandclosedthedoor.
Twominuteslatersheopenedthedoorandputoutherhead.
“Ithinkyou’rewrong.It’snotaninsaneserialkillerwhoreadhisBiblewrong.It’sjustamonorgardenbastardwhohateswomen.”
CHAPTER21
Thursday,July3–Thursday,July10
SalanderwasupbeforeBlomkvist,around6:00.Sheputonsomewaterforcoffeeandwenttotakea