htthatnoresearchshehadeverdonebeforehadcontainedevenafractionofthescopeofthisassignment.
MildredBr?nnlund,remarriedandnowMildredBerggren,openedthedoorwhenBlomkvistknockedaround10:00onSundaymorning.Thewomanwasmucholder,ofcourse,andhadbynowfilledoutagooddeal,butherecognisedheratonce.
“Hi,mynameisMikaelBlomkvist.YoumustbeMildredBerggren.”
“That’sright.”
“I’msorryforknockingonyourdoorlikethis,butI’vebeentryingtofindyou,andit’sratherplicatedtoexplain.”Hesmiledather.“IwonderifIcouldeinandtakeupasmallamountofyourtime.”
Mildred’shusbandandasonwhowasaboutthirty-fivewerehome,andwithoutmuchhesitationsheinvitedBlomkvisttoeandsitintheirkitchen.Heshookhandswitheachofthem.Hehaddrunkmorecoffeeduringthepasttwenty-fourhoursthanatanytimeinhislife,butbynowhehadlearnedthatinNorrlanditwasrudetosayno.Whenthecoffeecupswereonthetable,Mildredsatdownandaskedwithsomecuriosityhowshecouldhelphim.ItwasobviousthathedidnoteasilyunderstandherNorsj?dialect,sosheswitchedtostandardSwedish.
Blomkvisttookadeepbreath.“Thisisalongandpeculiarstory,”hesaid.“InSeptember1966youwereinHedestadwithyourthenhusband,GunnarBr?nnlund.”
Shelookedsurprised.HewaitedforhertonodbeforehelaidthephotographfromJ?rnv?gsgatanonthetableinfrontofher.
“Whenwasthispicturetaken?Doyouremembertheoasion?”
“Oh,mygoodness,”MildredBerggrensaid.“Thatwasalifetimeago.”
Herpresenthusbandandsoncametostandnexttohertolookatthepicture.
“Wewereonourhoneymoon.WehaddrivendowntoStockholmandSigtunaandwereonourwayhomeandhappenedtostopsomewhere.WasitinHedestad,yousaid?”
“Yes,Hedestad.Thisphotographwastakenatabout1:00intheafternoon.I’vebeentryingtofindyouforsometimenow,andithasn’tbeenasimpletask.”
“Youseeanoldphotographofmeandthenactuallytrackmedown.Ican’timaginehowyoudidit.”
Blomkvistputthephotographfromthecarparkonthetable.
“Iwasabletofindyouthankstothispicture,whichwastakenalittlelaterintheday.”Heexplainedhow,viatheNorsj?CarpentryShop,hehadfoundBurm