thatinhiseyesshewasmoreofaseeker,lessagoodChristian.
HewasinterruptedbyBergercallinghimonhismobile.
“IjustwantedtotellyouthatGregerandIareleavingonholidaynextweek.I’llbegoneforfourweeks.”
“Whereareyougoing?”
“NewYork.Gregerhasanexhibition,andthenwethoughtwe’dgototheCaribbean.WehaveachancetoborrowahouseonAntiguafromafriendofGreger’sandwe’restayingtheretwoweeks.”
“Thatsoundswonderful.Haveagreattime.AndsayhitoGreger.”
“Thenewissueisfinishedandwe’vealmostwrappedupthenextone.Iwishyoucouldtakeoveraseditor,butChristerhassaidhewilldoit.”
“Hecancallmeifheneedsanyhelp.How’sitgoingwithJanneDahlman?”
Shehesitated.
“He’salsogoingonholiday.I’vepushedHenryintobeingtheactingmanagingeditor.HeandChristeraremindingthestore.”
“OK.”
“I’llbebackonAugustseventh.”
IntheearlyeveningBlomkvisttriedfivetimestotelephoneCeciliaVanger.Hesentheratextaskinghertocallhim.Buthereceivednoanswer.
HeputawaytheApocryphaandgotintohistracksuit,lockingthedoorbeforehesetoff.
Hefollowedthenarrowpathalongtheshoreandthenturnedintothewoods.Hegroundhiswaythroughthicketsandarounduprootedtreesasfastashecouldgo,emergingexhaustedattheFortresswithhispulseracing.Hestoppedbyoneoftheoldartillerybatteriesandstretchedforseveralminutes.
Suddenlyheheardasharpcrackandthegreyconcretewallnexttohisheadexploded.Thenhefeltthepainasfragmentsofconcreteandshrapneltoreadeepgashinhisscalp.
ForwhatseemedaernityBlomkviststoodparalysed.Thenhethrewhimselfintotheartillerytrench,landinghardonhisshoulderandknockingthewindoutofhimself.Asecondroundcameattheinstanthedived.Thebulletsmackedintotheconcretefoundation.
Hegottohisfeetandlookedallaround.HewasinthemiddleoftheFortress.Totherightandleftnarrow,overgrownpassagesayarddeeprantothebatteriesthatwerespreadalongalineof250yards.Inacrouch,hestartedrunningsouththroughthelabyrinth.
HesuddenlyheardanechoofCaptainAdolfsson’sinimitablevoicefromwintermanoeuvresattheinfantryschoolin