ngerwouldbecreepingaroundhereinthenightwithablowtorch.”
Salandershrugged.
“Idon’ttrustanylastoneofthem,includingFrodeoryourfriendHenrik.They’reallpartofafamilythatwouldswindleyouiftheyhadthechance.Sowhatdowedonow?”
Blomkvistsaid,“I’vediscoveredalotofsecretsaboutyou.Howmanypeople,forexample,knowthatyou’reahacker?”
“No-one.”
“No-oneexceptme,youmean.”
“Whatareyougettingat?”
“Iwanttoknowifyou’reOKwithme.Ifyoutrustme.”
Shelookedathimforalongmoment.Finally,forananswer,sheonlyshrugged.
“There’snothingIcandoaboutit.”
“Doyoutrustme?”Blomkvistpersisted.
“Forthetimebeing,”shesaid.
“Good.Let’sgoovertoseeFrode.”
ThiswasthefirsttimeAdvokatFrode’swifehadmetSalander.Shegaveherawide-eyedlookatthesametimeasshesmiledpolitely.Frode’sfacelitupwhenhesawSalander.Hestoodtowelethem.
“Hownicetoseeyou,”hesaid.“I’vebeenfeelingguiltythatIneverproperlyexpressedmygratitudefortheextraordinaryworkyoudidforus.Bothlastwinterandnow,thissummer.”
Salandergavehimasuspiciousglare.
“Iwaspaid,”shesaid.
“That’snotit.ImadesomeassumptionsaboutyouwhenIfirstsawyou.Youwouldbekindtopardonmeinretrospect.”
Blomkvistwassurprised.Frodewascapableofaskingatwenty-five-year-oldpiercedandtattooedgirltofivehimforsomethingforwhichhehadnoneedtoapologise!ThelawyerclimbedafewnotchesinBlomkvist’seyes.Salanderstaredstraightahead,ignoringhim.
FrodelookedatBlomkvist.
“Whatdidyoudotoyourhead?”
Theysatdown.Blomkvistsummedupthedevelopmentsofthepasttwenty-fourhours.AshedescribedhowsomeonehadshotathimoutneartheFortress,Frodeleapedtohisfeet.
“Thisisbarkingmad.”HepausedandfixedhiseyesonBlomkvist.“I’msorry,butthishastostop.Ican’thaveit.IamgoingtotalktoHenrikandbreakthecontract.”
“Sitdown,”saidBlomkvist.
“Youdon’tunderstand…”
“WhatIunderstandisthatLisbethandIhavegotsoclosethatwhoeverisbehindallofthisisreactinginaderangedmanner,inpanic.We’vegotsomequestions.Firstofall:h