inkHenrikmentioneditwasin1978.Presumablyheorderedasaferoomputrimportantfilesorsomesuchpurpose.Hegotasoundproofed,windowlessroomwithasteeldoor.”
“He’shadthatroomfortwenty-fiveyears.”
TheyfellsilentforawhileasBlomkvistthoughtaboutwhatatrocitiesmusthavetakenplacethereforaquarterofacentury.Salanderdidnotneedtothinkaboutthematter;shehadseenthevideotapes.ShenoticedthatBlomkvistwasunconsciouslytouchinghisneck.
“Gottfriedhatedwomenandtaughthissontohatewomenatthesametimeashewasrapinghim.Butthere’salsosomesortofundertone…IthinkGottfriedfantasisedthathischildrenwouldsharehis,toputitmildly,pervertedworldview.WhenIaskedaboutHarriet,hisownsister,Martinsaid:‘Wetriedtotalktoher.Butshewasjustanordinarycunt.ShewasplanningtotellHenrik.’”
“Iheardhim.ThatwasaboutwhenIgotdowntothebasement.AndthatmeansthatweknowwhatherabortedconversationwithHenrikwastohavebeenabout.”
Blomkvistfrowned.“Notreally.Thinkofthechronology.Wedon’tknowwhenGottfriedfirstrapedhisson,buthetookMartinwithhimwhenhemurderedLeaPerssoninUddevallain1962.Hedrownedin1965.Beforethat,heandMartintriedtotalktoHarriet.Wheredoesthatleadus?”
“Martinwasn’ttheonlyohatGottfriedassaulted.HealsoassaultedHarriet.”
“Gottfriedwastheteacher.Martinwasthepupil.Harrietwaswhat?Theirplaything?”
“GottfriedtaughtMartintoscrewhissister.”SalanderpointedatthePolaroidprints.“It’shardtodetermineherattitudefromthesetwopicturesbecausewecan’tseeherface,butshe’stryingtohidefromthecamera.”
“Let’ssaythatitstartedwhenshewasfourteen,in1964.Shedefendedherself—couldn’taeptit,asMartinputit.ThatwaswhatshewasthreateningtotellHenrikabout.Martinundoubtedlyhadnothingtosayinthisconnection;hejustdidwhathisfathertoldhim.ButheandGottfriedhadformedsomesortof…pact,andtheytriedtoinitiateHarrietintoittoo.”
Salandersaid:“InyournotesyouwrotethatHenrikhadletHarrietmoveintohishouseinthewinterof1964.”
“Henrikcouldseetherewassomethingwronginherfamily.HethoughtitwasthebickeringandfrictionbetweenGottfriedandI