llyprobablethatsomeonewhoisinterestedinesotericaingeneralmightreadthem.”
“Youdon’thappentohaveacopyoftheApocrypha,doyou?”
Shelaughedagain.Abright,friendlylaugh.
“OfcourseIdo.TheApocryphawereactuallypublishedasastatereportfromtheBiblemissionintheeighties.”
ArmanskywonderedwhatwasgoingonwhenSalanderaskedtospeaktohiminprivate.Heshutthedoorbehindherandmotionedhertothevisitor’schair.ShetoldhimthatherworkforMikaelBlomkvistwasdone—thelawyerwouldbepayingherbeforetheendofthemonth—butthatshehaddecidedtokeeponwiththisparticularinvestigation.Blomkvisthadofferedheraconsiderablyhighersalaryforamonth.
“Iamself-employed,”Salandersaid.“UntilnowI’venevertakenajobthatyouhaven’tgivenme,inkeepingwithouragreement.WhatIwanttoknowiswhatwillhappentoourrelationshipifItakeajobonmyown?”
Armanskyshrugged.
“You’reafreelancer,youcantakeanyjobyouwantandchargewhatyouthinkit’sworth.I’mjustgladyou’remakingyourownmoney.Itwould,however,bedisloyalofyoutotakeonclientsyoufindthroughus.”
“Ihavenoplanstodothat.I’vefinishedthejobaordingtothecontractwesignedwithBlomkvist.WhatthisisaboutisthatIwanttostayonthecase.I’devendoitfornothing.”
“Don’teverdoanythingfornothing.”
“YouknowwhatImean.Iwanttoknowwherethisstoryisgoing.I’veconvincedBlomkvisttoaskthelawyertokeepmeonasaresearchassistant.”
ShepassedtheagreementovertoArmansky,whoreadrapidlythroughit.
“Withthissalaryyoumightaswellbeworkingforfree.Lisbeth,you’vegottalent.Youdon’thavetoworkforsmallchange.Youknowyoucanmakeahellofalotmorewithmeifyoueonboardfull-time.”
“Idon’twanttoworkfull-time.But,Dragan,myloyaltyistoyou.You’vebeengreattomesinceIstartedhere.IwanttoknowifacontractlikethisisOKwithyou,thattherewon’tbeanyfrictionbetweenus.”
“Isee.”Hethoughtforamoment.“It’s100percentOK.Thanksforasking.IfanymoresituationslikethiscropupinthefutureI’dappreciateitifyouaskedmesotherewon’tbeanymisunderstandings.”
Salanderthoughtoverwhethershehadanythingtoadd.Shefixedhergazeon