“No-onedoesintheVangerfamily.”
Shelaughedforthefirsttime.
“No,theydon’t.ButthepointisthatIcouldn’tbringmyselftosayanything.Thewholeworldwouldhavefoundout.Myschoolmates,allmyrelatives…”
“Harriet,I’msosorry.”
“Iwasfourteenwhenherapedmethefirsttime.Andduringthenextyearhewouldtakemeouttohiscabin.ManytimesMartincamealong.HeforcedbothmeandMartintodothingswithhim.AndheheldmyarmswhileMartin…hadhiswaywithme.Whenmyfatherdied,Martinwasreadytotakeoverhisrole.Heexpectedmetobeehisloverandhethoughtitwasperfectlynaturalformetosubmittohim.AtthattimeInolongerhadanychoice.IwasforcedtodowhatMartinsaid.Iwasridofoormentoronlytolandintheclutchesofanother,andtheonlythingIcoulddowastomakesuretherewasneveranoasionwhenIwasalonewithhim…”
“Henrikwouldhave…”
“Youstilldon’tunderstand.”
Sheraisedhervoice.Blomkvistsawthatseveralofthemenatthenexttentwerelookingathim.Sheloweredhervoiceagainandleanedtowardshim.
“Allthecardsareonthetable.You’llhavetoworkouttherest.”
Shestoodupandgottwomorebeers.Whenshecameback,Mikaelsaidasinglewordtoher.
“Gottfried.”
Shenodded.
“OnAugust7,1965,myfatherforcedmetogoouttohiscabin.Henrikwasaway.Myfatherwasdrinking,andhetriedtoforcehimselfonme.Buthecouldn’tgetitupandheflewintoadrunkenrage.Hewasalways…roughandviolenttowardsmewhenwewerealone,butthistimehecrossedtheline.Heurinatedonme.Thenhestartedtellingmewhathewasgoingtodotome.Thatnighthetoldmeaboutthewomenhehadkilled.Hewasbraggingaboutit.HequotedfromtheBible.Thiswentonforanhour.Ididn’tunderstandhalfofwhathewassaying,butIrealisedthathewastotally,absolutelysick.”
Shetookagulpofherbeer.
“Sometimearoundmidnighthehadafit.Hewastotallyinsane.Wewereupinthesleepingloft.HeputaT-shirtaroundmyneckandpulleditastightashecould.Iblackedout.Idon’thavetheslightestdoubtthathereallywastryingtokillme,andforthefirsttimethatnighthemanagedtopletetherape.”
HarrietlookedatBlomkvist.Hereyesentreatedhimtounderstand.
“Buthewassodrunkt