”
“I’veonlybeenonthisforelevendays,andIhaven’thadachancetodigupallthereports.Insomecasesthepolicereportshadbeenputinthenationalarchive,andinothersthey’restillstoredinthelocalpolicedistrict.Imadethreedaytripstodifferentpolicedistricts,butIdidn’thavetimetogettoallofthem.Thefiveareidentified.”
Salanderputasolidheapofpaperonthekitchentable,around500pages.Shequicklysortedthematerialintodifferentstacks.
“Let’staketheminchronologicalorder.”ShehandedBlomkvistalist.
1949—REBECKAJACOBSSON,Hedestad
1954—MARIHOLMBERG,Kalmar
1957—RAKELLUNDE,Landskrona
1960—
1960—LIVGUSTAVSSON,Stockholm
1962—LEAPERSSON,Uddevalla
1964—SARAWITT,Ronneby
1966—LENAANDERSSON,Uppsala
“ThefirstcaseinthisseriesisRebeckaJacobsson,1949,thedetailsofwhichyoualreadyknow.ThenextcaseIfoundwasMariHolmberg,athirty-two-year-oldprostituteinKalmarwhowasmurderedinherapartmentinOctober1954.It’snotclearexactlywhenshewaskilled,sinceherbodywasn’tfoundrightaway,probablynineortendayslater.”
“AndhowdoyouconnecthertoHarriet’slist?”
“Shewastiedupandbadlyabused,butthecauseofdeathwasstrangulation.Shehadasanitarytoweldownherthroat.”
BlomkvistsatinsilenceforamomentbeforehelookeduptheversethatwasLeviticus20:18.
“Ifamanlieswithawomanhavinghersickness,anduncovershernakedness,hehasmadenakedherfountain,andshehasuncoveredthefountainofherblood;bothofthemshallbecutofffromamongtheirpeople.”
Salandernodded.
“HarrietVangermadethesameconnection.OK.Next?”
“May1957,RakelLunde,forty-five.Sheworkedasacleaningwomanandwasabitofahappyeentricinthevillage.Shewasafortune-tellerandherhobbywasdoingTarotreadings,palms,etcetera.ShelivedoutsideLandskronainahousealongwayfromanywhere,andshewasmurderedtheresometimeearlyinthemorning.Shewasfoundnakedandtiedtoalaundry-dryingframeinherbackgarden,withhermouthtapedshut.Causeofdeathwasaheavyrockbeingrepeatedlythrownather.Shehadcountlesscontusionsandfractures.”
“JesusChrist.Lisbet