ouldn’tevenhavesaidhellotoherinthestreet,letaloneentrustherwiththeirrepellentsecrets.
Fuckingriff-raff.
Shetookadeepbreathandthoughtabouthermother,whomshehadconsignedtoashesthatverymorning.Shewouldneverbeabletomendthings.Hermother’sdeathmeantthatthewoundwouldneverheal,sinceshewouldnevernowgetananswertothequestionsshehadwantedtoask.
ShethoughtaboutArmanskystandingbehindheratthecrematorium.Sheshouldhavesaidsomethingtohim.Atleastgivenhimsomesignthatsheknewhewasthere.Butifshedidthat,hewouldhavetakenitasapretextfortryingtostructureherlife.Ifshegavehimherlittlefingerhe’dtakeherwholearm.Andhewouldneverunderstand.
Shethoughtaboutthelawyer,Bjurman,whowasstillherguardianandwho,atleastforthetimebeing,hadbeenneutralisedandwasdoingashewastold.
Shefeltanimplacablehatredandclenchedherteeth.
AndshethoughtaboutMikaelBlomkvistandwonderedwhathewouldsaywhenhefoundoutthatshewasawardofthecourtandthatherentirelifewasafuckingrats’nest.
Itcametoherthatshereallywasnotangrywithhim.Hewasjustthepersononwhomshehadventedherangerwhenwhatshehadwantedmostofallwastomurdersomebody,severalpeople.Beingangrywithhimwaspointless.
Shefeltstrangelyambivalenttowardshim.
Hestuckhisnoseinotherpeople’sbusinessandpokedaroundinherlifeand…but…shehadalsoenjoyedworkingwithhim.Eventhatwasanoddfeeling—toworkwithsomebody.Shewasn’tusedtothat,butithadbeenunexpectedlypainless.Hedidnotmesswithher.Hedidnottrytotellherhowtoliveherlife.
Shewastheonewhohadseducedhim,notviceversa.
Andbesides,ithadbeensatisfying.
Sowhydidshefeelasifshewantedtokickhimintheface?
Shesighedandunhappilyraisedhereyestoseeaninter-continentalroarpastontheE4.
Blomkvistwasstillinthegardenat8:00whenhewasrousedbytherattleofthemotorcyclecrossingthebridgeandsawSalanderridingtowardsthecottage.Sheputherbikeonitsstandandtookoffherhelmet.Shecameuptothegardentableandfeltthecoffeepot,whichwasemptyandcold.Blomkviststoodup,gazingatherinsurprise.Shetookthecoffeepotandwenti