shower.WhenBlomkvistwokeat7:30,shewasreadinghissummaryoftheHarrietVangercaseonhisi.Hecameouttothekitchenwithatowelroundhiswaist,rubbingthesleepoutofhiseyes.
“There’scoffeeonthestove,”shesaid.
Helookedoverhershoulder.
“Thatdocumentwaspasswordprotected,dammit,”hesaid.
Sheturnedandpeeredupathim.
“IttakesthirtysecondstodownloadaprogrammefromthethatcancrackWord’sencryptionprotection.”
“Weneedtohaveatalkonthesubjectofwhat’syoursandwhat’smine,”hesaid,andwenttotakeashower.
Whenhecameback,Salanderhadturnedoffhisputerandputitbackinitsplaceinhisoffice.ShehadbootedupherownPower.Blomkvistfeltsurethatshehadalreadytransferredthecontentsofhisputertoherown.
Salanderwasanrmationjunkiewithadelinquentchild’stakeonmoralsandethics.
Hehadjustsatdowntobreakfastwhentherewasaknockatthefrontdoor.MartinVangerlookedsosolemnthatforasecondBlomkvistthoughthehadetobringthenewsofhisuncle’sdeath.
“No,Henrik’sconditionisthesameasyesterday.I’mhereforaquitedifferentreason.CouldIeramoment?”
Blomkvistlethimin,introducinghimto“myresearchassistant”LisbethSalander.Shegavethecaptainofindustrybarelyaglanceandaquicknodbeforeshewentbacktoherputer.MartinVangergreetedherautomaticallybutlookedsodistractedthathehardlyseemedtonoticeher.Blomkvistpouredhimacupofcoffeeandinvitedhimtohaveaseat.
“What’sthisallabout?”
“Youdon’tsubscribetotheHedestadCourier?”
“No.ButsometimesIseeitatSusanne’sBridgeCafé.”
“Thenyouhaven’treadthismorning’spaper.”
“YoumakeitsoundasifIoughtto.”
MartinVangerputtheday’spaperonthetableinfrontofhim.Hehadbeengiventwocolumnsonthefrontpage,continuedonpagefour.“ConvictedLibelJournalistHidingHere.”AphotographtakenwithatelephotolensfromthechurchhillontheothersideofthebridgeshowedBlomkvistingoutofthecottage.
Thereporter,Torsson,hadcobbledtogetherascurrilouspiece.HerecapitulatedtheWennerstr?maffairandexplainedthatBlomkvisthadleftMillenniumindisgraceandthathehadrecentlyservedaprisonte