ubox?”
“Yeah,youknow,withgloves.”
“Whatweightdoyouboxin?”hesaid,whenheemergedfromtheshower.
“Noneatall.IsparalittlenowandthenagainsttheguysinaclubinS?der.”
Whyisthatnosurprise?hethought.Butatleastshehadtoldhimsomethingaboutherself.Heknewnobasicfactsabouther.HowdidsheetobeworkingforArmansky?Whatsortofeducationdidshehave?Whatdidherparentsdo?AssoonasBlomkvisttriedtoaskaboutherlifesheshutuplikeaclam,answeredinsinglesyllablesorignoredhim.
OneafternoonSalandersuddenlyputdownabinder,frowning.
“WhatdoyouknowaboutOttoFalk?Thepastor.”
“Notmuch.Imetthepresentincumbentafewtimesearlierintheyear,andshetoldmethatFalklivesinsomegeriatrichomeinHedestad.Alzheimer’s.”
“Wheredidheefrom?”
“FromHedestad.HestudiedinUppsala.”
“Hewasunmarried.AndHarriethungoutwithhim.”
“Whydoyouask?”
“I’mjustsayingthatMorellwentprettyeasyonhimintheinterview.”
“Inthesixtiespastorsenjoyedaconsiderablydifferentstatusinsociety.Itwasnaturalforhimtoliveouthereontheisland,closetothepowerbrokers,sotospeak.”
“Iwonderhowcarefullythepolicesearchedtheparsonage.Inthephotographsitlookslikeitwasabigwoodenhouse,andtheremusthavebeenplentyofplacestohideabodyforawhile.”
“That’strue,butthere’snothinginthematerialtoindicatethathewouldhaveanyconnectiontotheserialmurdersortoHarriet’sdisappearance.”
“Actually,thereis,”Salandersaid,withawrysmile.“Firstofallhewasapastor,andpastorsmorethananyoneelsehaveaspecialrelationshiptotheBible.Second,hewasthelastpersonknowntohaveseenandtalkedwithHarriet.”
“Buthewentdowntothesceneoftheaidentandstayedthereforseveralhours.He’sinlotsofthepictures,especiallyduringthetimewhenHarrietmusthavevanished.”
“Allright,Ican’tcrackhisalibi.ButIwasactuallythinkingaboutsomethingelse.Thisstoryisaboutasadistickillerofwomen.”
“So?”
“Iwas…Ihadalittletimetomyselfthisspringandreadquiteabitaboutsadistsinaratherdifferentcontext.OneofthethingsIreadwasanFBImanual.Itclaimedthatastrikin