ngeristoinherit,youmaythinkitwouldbeinappropriateifshewerethefirstoolightuponherson’shobby.”
“Ihavetogoandsee…”
“Ithinkyoushouldstayawayfromthatroomtoday,”Salandersaidsharply.“Youhavealotofthingstotakecareof.YouhavetogoandtellHenrik,andyouhavetocallaspecialmeetingoftheboardanddoallthosethingsyouchapsdowhenyourCEOdies.”
Frodethoughtaboutwhatshewassaying.Hisheartwasthumping.Hewastheoldattorneyandproblem-solverwhowasexpectedtohaveaplanreadytomeetanyeventuality,yethefeltpowerlesstoact.Itsuddenlydawnedonhimthatherehewas,takingordersfromachild.Shehadsomehowseizedcontrolofthesituationandgivenhimtheguidelinesthathehimselfwasunabletoformulate.
“AndHarriet…?”
“MikaelandIarenotfinishedyet.ButyoucantellHerrVangerthatIthinknowthatwe’regoingtosolveit.”
MartinVanger’sunexpecteddemisewasthetopstoryonthe9:00newsontheradiowhenBlomkvistwokeup.Nothingwasreportedaboutthenight’seventsotherthantosaythattheindustrialisthadinexplicablyandathighspeedcrossedtothewrongsideoftheE4,travellingsouth.Hehadbeenaloneinthecar.
ThelocalradioranastorythatdealtwithconcernforthefutureoftheVangerCorporationandtheconsequencesthatthisdeathwouldinevitablyhaveforthepany.
AhastilyposedlunchtimeupdatefromtheTTwireservicehadtheheadlineATOWNINSHOCK,anditsummeduptheproblemsoftheVangerCorporation.Itescapedno-one’snoticethatinHedestadalonemorethan3,000ofthetown’s21,000inhabitantswereemployedbytheVangerCorporationorwereotherwisedependentontheprosperityofthepany.Thefirm’sCEOwasdead,andtheformerCEOwasseriouslyillafteraheartattack.Therewasnonaturalheir.Allthisatatimeconsideredtobeamongthemostcriticalinthepany’shistory.
BlomkvisthadhadtheoptionofgoingtothepoliceinHedestadandtellingthemwhathadhappenedthatnight,butSalanderhadalreadysetacertainprocessinmotion.Sincehehadnotimmediatelycalledthepolice,itbecamehardertodosowitheachhourthatpassed.Hespentthemorningingloomysilence,sittingonthekitchenbench,watchingtherainoutside.Around10:00therewasanothercloudburst,butbyl