chentable.ShehadetotheconclusionthatBlomkvisthaddonesomethingstupidafterstudyingthepicturesfromthesurveillancecameras.ShehadgoneovertoMartinVanger’shousebywayoftheshoreandlookedinallthewindowsandseenno-one.Shehadtriedallthedoorsandwindowsonthegroundfloor.Finallyshehadclimbedinthroughanopenbalconydoorupstairs.Ithadtakenalongtime,andshehadmovedextremelycautiouslyasshesearchedthehouse,roombyroom.Eventuallyshefoundthestairsdowntothebasement.Martinhadbeencareless.Heleftthedoortohischamberofhorrorsajar,andshewasabletoformaclearimpressionofthesituation.
BlomkvistaskedherhowmuchshehadheardofwhatMartinsaid.
“Notmuch.IgottherewhenhewasaskingyouaboutwhathappenedtoHarriet,justbeforehehungyouupbythenoose.Ileftforafewminutestogobackandfindaweapon.”
“MartinhadnoideawhathappenedtoHarriet,”Blomkvistsaid.
“Doyoubelievethat?”
“Yes,”Blomkvistsaidwithouthesitation.“Martinwasdafterthanasyphiliticpolecat—wheredoIgetthesemetaphorsfrom?—butheconfessedtoallthecrimeshehadmitted.Ithinkthathewantedtoimpressme.ButwhenitcametoHarriet,hewasasdesperateasHenrikVangertofindoutwhathappened.”
“So…wheredoesthattakeus?”
“WeknowthatGottfriedwasresponsibleforthefirstseriesofmurders,between1949and1965.”
“OK.AndhebroughtonlittleMartin.”
“Talkaboutadysfunctionalfamily,”Blomkvistsaid.“Martinreallydidn’thaveachance.”
Salandergavehimastrangelook.
“WhatMartintoldme—eventhoughitwasrambling—wasthathisfatherstartedhisapprenticeshipafterhereachedpuberty.HewasthereatthemurderofLeainUddevallain1962.Hewasfourteen,forGod’ssake.HewasthereatthemurderofSarain1964andthattimehetookanactivepart.Hewassixteen.”
“And?”
“Hesaidthathehadnevertouchedanotherman—excepthisfather.Thatmademethinkthat…well,theonlypossibleconclusionisthathisfatherrapedhim.Martincalledit‘hisduty.’Thesexualassaultsmusthavegoneonforalongtime.Hewasraisedbyhisfather,sotospeak.”
“Bullshit,”Salandersaid,hervoiceashardasflint.
Blomkviststaredatherinastonishment