an,whointurnhadledhimtoHenningForsmaninNorsj?vallen.
“Youmusthaveagoodreasonforthislongsearch.”
“Ido.ThisgirlstandingclosetoyouinthisphotographiscalledHarriet.Thatdayshedisappeared,andshewasneverseenorheardofagain.Thegeneralassumptionisthatshefellpreytoamurderer.CanIshowyousomemorephotographs?”
Hetookouthisiandexplainedthecircumstanceswhiletheputerbootedup.ThenheplayedhertheseriesofimagesshowinghowHarriet’sfacialexpressionchanged.
“ItwaswhenIwentthroughtheseoldimagesthatIfoundyou,standingwithacamerarightbehindHarriet,andyouseemtobetakingapictureinthedirectionofwhateveritisshe’slookingat,whatevercausedhertoreactinthatway.Iknowthatthisisareallylongshot,butthereasonI’vebeenlookingforyouistoaskyouifbyanymiracleyoustillhavethepicturesfromthatday.”
HewaspreparedforMildredBerggrentodismisstheideaandtellhimthatthephotographshadlongsincevanished.Insteadshelookedathimwithherclearblueeyesandsaid,asifitwerethemostnaturalthingintheworld,thatofcourseshestillhadheroldhoneymoonpictures.
Shewenttoanotherroomandcamebackafterseveralminuteswithaboxinwhichshehadstoredaquantityofpicturesinvariousalbums.Ittookawhiletofindthehoneymoonones.ShehadtakenthreephotographsinHedestad.Onewasblurryandshowedthemainstreet.Anothershowedherhusbandatthetime.Thethirdshowedtheclownsintheparade.
Blomkvisteagerlyleanedforward.Hecouldseeafigureontheothersideofthestreetbehindaclown.Butthephotographtoldhimabsolutelynothing.
CHAPTER20
Tuesday,July1–Wednesday,July2
ThefirstthingBlomkvistdidthemorninghereturnedtoHedestadwastogotoFrode’shousetoaskaboutVanger’scondition.Helearnedtohisdelightthattheoldmanhadimprovedquiteabitduringthepastweek.Hewasweakstill,andfragile,butnowhecouldsitupinbed.Hisconditionwasnolongerregardedascritical.
“ThankGod,”hesaid.“IrealisedthatIactuallylikehim.”
Frodesaid:“Iknowthat.AndHenriklikesyoutoo.HowwasNorrland?”
“Suessfulyetunsatisfying.I’llexplainalittlelater.RightnowIhaveaquestion.”
“Goahea