ooteleven,normalbuild.Hehasdark-blond,semi-longhairandisclean-shaven.Butit’simpossibletomakeouthisfacialfeaturesorevenestimatehisage.Hecouldbeanywherebetweenhisteensandmiddleage.
“Youcouldmanipulatetheimage…”
“Ihavemanipulatedtheimage,dammit.IevensentacopytotheimageprocessingwizardatMillennium.”Blomkvistclickedupanewshot.“ThisistheabsolutebestIcangetoutofit.Thecameraissimplytoolousyandthedistancetoofar.”
“Haveyoushownthepicturetoanyone?Someonemightrecognisetheman’sbearingor…”
“IshowedittoFrode.Hehasnoideawhothemanis.”
“HerrFrodeprobablyisn’tthemostobservantpersoninHedestad.”
“No,butI’mworkingforhimandHenrikVanger.IwanttoshowthepicturetoHenrikbeforeIcastthewider.”
“Perhapshe’snothingmorethanaspectator.”
“That’spossible.ButhemanagedtotriggerastrangeresponsefromHarriet.”
DuringthenextseveraldaysBlomkvistandSalanderworkedontheHarrietcasevirtuallyeverywakingmoment.Salanderwentonreadingthepolicereport,rattlingoffonequestionafteranother.Therecouldonlybeoruth,andeachvagueansweroruncertaintyledtomoreintenseinterrogation.Theyspentonewholedayexaminingtimetablesforthecastofcharactersatthesceneoftheaidentonthebridge.
Salanderbecamemoreandmoreofanenigmatohim.Despitethefactthatsheonlyskimmedthedocumentsinthereport,shealwaysseemedtosettleonthemostobscureandcontradictorydetails.
Theytookabreakintheafternoons,whentheheatmadeitunbearableoutinthegarden.TheywouldswiminthechannelorwalkuptotheterraceatSusanne’sBridgeCafé.SusannenowtreatedBlomkvistwithanundisguisedcoolness.HerealisedthatSalanderlookedbarelylegalandshewasobviouslylivingathiscottage,andthat—inSusanne’seyes—madehimadirtyoldmiddle-agedman.Itwasnotpleasant.
Blomkvistwentouteveryeveningforarun.Salandermadenomentwhenhereturnedoutofbreathtothecottage.Runningwasobviouslynotherthing.
“I’moverforty,”hesaid.“Ihavetoexercisetokeepfromgettingtoofataroundthemiddle.”
“Isee.”
“Don’tyoueverexercise?”
“Iboxonceinawhile.”
“Yo