bellaVangerinherbackgarden.Shewassittingthere,obviouslytalkingtosomeone.IttookasecondforBlomkvisttorealiseitwasthesicklyGerdaVanger,bornin1922andlivingwithherson,Alexander,inoneofthehousesbeyondHenrik’s.Hehadnevermether,buthehadseenherafewtimes.CeciliaVanger’shouselookedempty,butthenMikaelsawamovementinherkitchen.She’shome.Wasthemarksmanawoman?HeknewthatCeciliacouldhandleagun.HecouldseeMartinVanger’scarinthedriveinfrontofhishouse.Howlonghaveyoubeenhome?
Orwasitsomeoneelsethathehadnotthoughtofyet?Frode?Alexander?Toomanypossibilities.
HeclimbeddownfromS?derbergetandfollowedtheroadintothevillage;hegothomewithoutencounteringanyone.Thefirstthinghesawwasthatthedoorofthecottagewasajar.Hewentintoacrouchalmostinstinctively.ThenhesmelledcoffeeandsawSalanderthroughthekitchenwindow.
Sheheardhimeinthefrontdoorandturnedtowardshim.Shestiffened.Hisfacelookedterrible,smearedwithbloodthathadbeguntocongeal.TheleftsideofhiswhiteT-shirtwascrimson.Hewasholdingasoddenredhandkerchieftohishead.
“It’sbleedinglikehell,butit’snotdangerous,”Blomkvistsaidbeforeshecouldask.
Sheturnedandgotthefirst-aidkitfromthecupboard;itcontainedtwopacketsofelasticbandages,amosquitostick,andalittlerollofsurgicaltape.Hepulledoffhisclothesanddroppedthemonthefloor;thenhewenttothebathroom.
Thewoundonhistemplewasagashsodeepthathecouldliftupabigflapofflesh.Itwasstillbleedinganditneededstitches,buthethoughtitwouldprobablyhealifhetapeditclosed.Heranatowelunderthecoldtapandwipedhisface.
Heheldthetowelagainsthistemplewhilehestoodundertheshowerandclosedhiseyes.Thenheslammedhisfistagainstthetilesohardthathescrapedhisknuckles.Fuckyou,whoeveryouare,hethought.I’mgoingtofindyou,andIwillgetyou.
WhenSalandertouchedhisarmhejumpedasifhehadhadanelectricshockandstaredatherwithsuchangerinhiseyesthatshetookastepback.Shehandedhimthesoapandwentbacktothekitchenwithoutaword.
Heputonthreestripsofsurgicaltape.Hewentintothebedroom,pulledonacleanpairofjeansandanewT-shirt,takingthef