rarrivedintimetostophimkillingme.”
Harriet’seyessuddenlyburned.
“Ithinkyou’dbettertellmethestoryfromthebeginning.”
Ittookmorethananhour.Hetoldherwhohewasandwhathewasworkingon.HedescribedhowhecametobegiventheassignmentbyHenrikVanger.Heexplainedhowthepolice’sinvestigationhadetoadeadend,andhetoldherofHenrik’slonginvestigation,andfinallyhetoldherhowaphotographofherwithfriendsinJ?rnv?gsgataninHedestadhadledtotheuncoveringofthesorrowsbehindthemysteryofherdisappearanceanditsappallingsequel,whichhadendedwithMartinVanger’ssuicide.
Ashetalked,dusksetin.Themenquitworkfortheday,fireswerestarted,andpotsbegantosimmer.BlomkvistnoticedthatJeffstayedclosetohisbossandkeptawatchfuleyeonhim.Thecookservedthemdinner.Theyeachhadanotherbeer.WhenhewasfinishedHarrietsatforalongtimeinsilence.
Atlengthshesaid:“Iwassohappythatmyfatherwasdeadandtheviolencewasover.ItneverourredtomethatMartin…I’mgladhe’sdead.”
“Icanunderstandthat.”
“Yourstorydoesn’texplainhowyouknewthatIwasalive.”
“Afterwerealisedwhathadhappened,itwasn’tsodifficulttoworkouttherest.Todisappear,youneededhelp.Anitawasyourconfidanteandtheonlyoneyoucouldevenconsider.Youwerefriends,andshehadspentthesummerwithyou.Youstayedoutatyourfather’scabin.Iftherewasanyoneyouhadconfidedin,ithadtobeher—andalsoshehadjustgotherdriver’slicence.”
Harrietlookedathimwithanunreadableexpression.
“SonowthatyouknowI’malive,whatareyougoingtodo?”
“IhavetotellHenrik.Hedeservestoknow.”
“Andthen?You’reajournalist.”
“I’mnotthinkingofexposingyou.I’vealreadybreachedsomanyrulesofprofessionalconductinthiswholedismalmessthattheJournalistsAssociationwouldundoubtedlyexpelmeiftheyknewaboutit.”Hewastryingtomakelightofit.“Onemorewon’tmakeanydifference,andIdon’twanttomakemyoldbabysitterangry.”
Shewasnotamused.
“Howmanypeopleknowthetruth?”
“Thatyou’realive?Rightnow,youandmeandAnitaandmypartner.Henrik’slawyerknowsabouttwo-thirdsofthestory,buthestillthinksyoudi