thatno-onewasevenawarethataserialkillerwasatwork.Howwasthatpossible?
Thebindersprovidedapartialanswer.
Hisvictimswereoftennewarrivals,immigrantgirlswhohadnofriendsorsocialcontactsinSweden.Therewerealsoprostitutesandsocialoutcasts,withdrugabuseorotherproblemsintheirbackground.
Fromherownstudiesofthepsychologyofsexualsadism,Salanderhadlearnedthatthistypeofmurdererusuallycollectedsouvenirsfromhisvictims.Thesesouvenirsfunctionedasremindersthatthekillercouldusetore-createsomeofthepleasurehehadexperienced.MartinVangerhaddevelopedthispeculiaritybykeepinga“death.”Hehadcataloguedandgradedhisvictims.Hehaddescribedtheirsuffering.Hehaddocumentedhiskillingswithvideotapesandphotographs.
Theviolenceandthekillingwerethegoal,butSalanderconcludedthatitwasthehuntthatwasMartinVanger’sprimaryinterest.Inhislaptophehadcreatedadatabasewithalistofmorethanahundredwomen.TherewereemployeesfromtheVangerCorporation,waitressesinrestaurantswhereheregularlyate,receptionstaffinhotels,clerksatthesocialsecurityoffice,thesecretariesofbusinessassociates,andmanyotherwomen.ItseemedasifMartinhadpigeonholedpracticallyeverywomanhehadevereintocontactwith.
Hehadkilledonlyafractionofthesewomen,buteverywomananywherenearhimwasapotentialvictim.Thecataloguinghadthemarkofapassionatehobby,andhemusthavedevotedcountlesshourstoit.
Isshemarriedorsingle?Doesshehavechildrenandfamily?Wheredoesshework?Wheredoesshelive?Whatkindofcardoesshedrive?Whatsortofeducationdoesshehave?Haircolour?Skincolour?Figure?
ThegatheringofpersonalrmationaboutpotentialvictimsmusthavebeenasignificantpartofMartinVanger’ssexualfantasies.Hewasfirstofallastalker,andsecondamurderer.
Whenshehadfinishedreading,shediscoveredasmallenvelopeinoneofthebinders.ShepulledouttwomuchhandledandfadedPolaroidpictures.Inthefirstpictureadark-hairedgirlwassittingatatable.Thegirlhadondarkjeansandhadabaretorsowithtiny,pointedbreasts.Shehadturnedherfaceawayfromthecameraandwasintheprocessofliftingonearminagestureofdefen