twocigarettesandcarefullyplacedoneofthembetweenBlomkvist’slips,lettinghimtakealongdrag.
“Thanks,”Blomkvistsaid,automatically.
MartinVangerlaughedagain.
“Yousee.You’vealreadystartedtoadapttothesubmissionprinciple.Iholdyourlifeinmyhands,Mikael.YouknowthatIcandispatchyouatanysecond.Youpleadedwithmetoimproveyourqualityoflife,andyoudidsobyusingreasonandalittlegoodmanners.Andyouwererewarded.”
Blomkvistnodded.Hisheartwaspoundingsoharditwasalmostunbearable.
At11:15LisbethSalanderdranktherestofthewaterfromherPETbottleassheturnedthepages.UnlikeBlomkvist,whoearlierinthedayhadchokedonhiscoffee,shedidn’tgetthewaterdownthewrongway.Ontheotherhand,shedidopenhereyeswidewhenshemadetheconnection.
Click!
Fortwohoursshehadbeenwadingthroughthestaffnewslettersfromallpointsofthepass.Themainnewsletterwaspanyrmation.ItboretheVangerlogo—aSwedishbannerflutteringinthewind,withthepointforminganarrow.Thepublicationwaspresumablyputtogetherbythefirm’sadvertisingdepartment,anditwasfilledwithpropagandathatwassupposedtomaketheemployeesfeelthattheyweremembersofonebigfamily.
InassociationwiththewintersportsholidayinFebruary1967,HenrikVanger,inamagnanimousgesture,hadinvitedfiftyemployeesfromthemainofficeandtheirfamiliestoaweek’sskiingholidayinH?rjedalen.Thepanyhadmaderecordprofitsduringthepreviousyear.ThePRdepartmentwenttooandputtogetherapicturereport.
Manyofthepictureswithamusingcaptionswerefromtheslopes.Someshowedgroupsinthebar,withlaughingemployeeshoistingbeermugs.TwophotographswereofasmallmorningfunctionwhenHenrikVangerproclaimedUlla-BrittMogrentobetheBestOfficeWorkeroftheYear.Shewasgivenabonusoffivehundredkronorandaglassbowl.
Theceremonywasheldontheterraceofthehotel,clearlyrightbeforepeoplewerethinkingofheadingbacktotheslopes.Abouttwentypeoplewereinthepicture.
Onthefarright,justbehindHenrikVanger,stoodamanwithlongblondhair.Hewaswearingadarkpaddedjacketwithadistinctivepatchattheshoulder.Sincethepublicationwasinblack-and-whit