ethemagazineandIthinkwecanmakeitstrongertogether,butyou’recrucialtothattask.I’vewoundupinaconflictofloyaltieshere.EitherIfollowHenrik’swishesorcarryoutmyjobonMillennium’sboard.”
BlomkvistchangedintohistracksuitandwentforarunouttotheFortressanddowntoGottfried’scabinbeforeheheadedhomeataslowerpacealongthewater.Frodewassittingatthegardentable.HewaitedpatientlyasMikaeldrankabottleofwaterandtowelledthesweatfromhisface.
“Thatdoesn’tlooksohealthyinthisheat.”
“Oh,eon,”Blomkvistsaid.
“Iwaswrong.Ceciliaisn’tthemainpersonwho’safterMartin.It’sIsabella.She’sbusymobilisingtheVangerclantotarandfeatheryouandpossiblyburnyouatthestaketoo.She’sbeingbackedupbyBirger.”
“Isabella?”
“She’samalicious,pettywomanwhodoesn’tlikeotherpeopleingeneral.Rightnowitseemsthatshedetestsyouinparticular.She’sspreadingstoriesthatyou’reaswindlerwhodupedHenrikintohiringyou,andthatyougothimsoworkedupthathehadaheartattack.”
“Ihopeno-onebelievesthat?”
“There’salwayssomeonewillingtobelievemaliciousrumours.”
“I’mtryingtoworkoutwhathappenedtoherdaughter—andshehatesme.IfHarrietweremydaughter,Iwouldhavereactedabitdifferently.”
At2:00intheafternoon,hismobilerang.
“Hello,mynameisConnyTorssonandIworkattheHedestadCourier.Doyouhavetimetoanswerafewquestions?Wegotatipthatyou’relivinghereinHedeby.”
“Well,HerrTorsson,yourtipmachineisalittleslow.I’vebeenlivingheresincethefirstoftheyear.”
“Ididn’tknowthat.WhatareyoudoinginHedestad?”
“Writing.Andtakingasortofsabbatical.”
“Whatareyouworkingon?”
“You’llfindoutwhenIpublishit.”
“Youwerejustreleasedfromprison…”
“Yes?”
“Doyouhaveaviewonjournalistswhofalsifymaterial?”
“Journalistswhofalsifymaterialareidiots.”
“Soinyouropinionyou’reanidiot?”
“WhyshouldIthinkthat?I’veneverfalsifiedmaterial.”
“Butyouwereconvictedoflibel.”
“So?”
TorssonhesitatedlongenoughthatBlomkvisthadtogivehimapush.
“Iwasconvictedoflibel,n