oppedherattheturnofftoHedebyIsland;heaskedifshewouldpleasebetherewhenhecameback.
“Areyouthinkingofstayingovernight?”shesaid.
“Ithinkso.”
“Doyouwantmetobehere?”
Heclimbedoutofthecarandwentaroundandputhisarmsaroundher.Shepushedhimaway,almostviolently.Blomkvisttookastepback.
“Lisbeth,you’remyfriend.”
“Doyouwantmetostayheresoyou’llhavesomebodytofucktonight?”
Blomkvistgaveheralonglook.Thenheturnedandgotintothecarandstartedtheengine.Hewounddownthewindow.Herhostilitywaspalpable.
“Iwanttobeyourfriend,”hesaid.“Ifyouwantotherwise,thenyoudon’tneedtobeherewhenIgethome.”
HenrikVangerwassittingup,dressed,whenDirchFrodelethimintothehospitalroom.
“They’rethinkingoflettingmeoutforMartin’sfuneraltomorrow.”
“HowmuchhasDirchtoldyou?”
Henriklookeddownatthefloor.
“HetoldmeaboutwhatMartinandGottfriedgotupto.Thisisfar,farworsethanIcouldhaveimagined.”
“IknowwhathappenedtoHarriet.”
“Tellme:howdidshedie?”
“Shedidn’tdie.She’sstillalive.Andifyoulike,shereallywantstoseeyou.”
Bothmenstaredathimasiftheirworldhadjustbeenturnedupsidedown.
“Ittookawhiletoconvincehertoe,butshe’salive,she’sdoingfine,andshe’shereinHedestad.Shearrivedthismorningandcanbehereinanhour.Ifyouwanttoseeher,thatis.”
Blomkvisthadtotellthestoryfrombeginningtoend.AcoupleoftimesHenrikinterruptedwithaquestionoraskedhimtorepeatsomething.Frodesaidnotaword.
Whenthestorywasdone,Henriksatinsilence.Blomkvisthadbeenafraidthatitwouldbetoomuchfortheoldman,butHenrikshowednosignofemotion,exceptthathisvoicemighthavebeenabitthickerwhenhebrokehissilence
“Poor,poorHarriet.Ifonlyshehadetome.”
Blomkvistglancedattheclock.Itwasfiveminutestofour.
“Doyouwanttoseeher?She’sstillafraidthatyouwon’twanttoafteryoufoundoutwhatshedid.”
“Whatabouttheflowers?”Henriksaid.
“Iaskedherthatontheplaneinghome.Therewasonepersoninthefamily,apartfromAnita,whomsheloved,andthatwasyou.She,ofcourse,wastheo