ysake.She’sbeenatruefriend.”
“Whatwasshedoinginyourroom?”
“Iwasn’tveryrationalthatday.IwasafraidofMartin,butaslongashewasinUppsala,Icouldpushtheproblemoutofmymind.ThentherehewasinHedestad,andIrealisedthatI’dneverbesafetherestofmylife.IwentbackandforthbetweenwantingtotellUncleHenrikandwantingtoflee.WhenHenrikdidn’thavetimetotalktome,Ijustwanderedrestlesslyaroundthevillage.OfcourseIknowthattheaidentonthebridgeovershadowedeverythingelseforeveryone,butnotforme.Ihadmyownproblems,andIwashardlyevenawareoftheaident.Everythingseemedunreal.ThenIranintoAnita,whowasstayinginaguestcottageinthepoundwithGerdaandAlexander.ThatwaswhenImadeupmymind.Istayedwithherthewholetimeanddidn’tdaregooutside.ButtherewasohingIhadtotakewithme—Ihadwrittendowneverythingthathappenedinadiary,andIneededafewclothes.Anitagotthemforme.”
“Isupposeshecouldn’tresistthetemptationtolookoutattheaidentscene.”Blomkvistthoughtforamoment.“WhatIdon’tunderstandiswhyyoudidn’tjustgotoHenrik,asyouhadintended.”
“Whydoyouthink?”
“Ireallydon’tknow.Henrikwouldcertainlyhavehelpedyou.Martinwouldhavebeenremovedimmediately—probablysenttoAustraliaforsomesortoftherapyortreatment.”
“Youhaven’tunderstoodwhathappened.”
UptothispointBlomkvisthadonlyreferredtoGottfried’ssexualassaultonMartin,leavingHarriet’sroleoutofit.
“GottfriedmolestedMartin,”hesaidcautiously.“Isuspectthathealsomolestedyou.”
HarrietVangerdidnotmoveamuscle.Thenshetookadeepbreathandburiedherfaceinherhands.IttookfivesecondsbeforeJeffwasbesideher,askingifeverythingwasallright.Harrietlookedathimandgavehimafaintsmile.ThensheastonishedBlomkvistbystandingupandgivingherstudsmanagerahugandakissonthecheek.SheturnedtoBlomkvistwithherarmaroundJeff’sshoulder.
“Jeff,thisisMikael,anold…friendfromthepast.He’sbroughtproblemsandbadnews,butwe’renotgoingtoshootthemessenger.Mikael,thisisJeffCochran,myoldestson.Ialsohaveanothersonandadaughter.”
BlomkviststooduptoshakehandswithJeff,sayingthathewassorrytohavebroug