uff.I’mnotgoingtoputthestoryonthe.”
Blomkvistprotested.Itwasthemiddleofthenight.Hecouldnotfacethinkingaboutthewholethingnow.Shewentonstubbornlysittingthereuntilhegavein.Hewenttothebathroomandwashedhisfaceandputthecoffeepoton.ThenhecamebacktothebedandtoldherabouthowhisoldschoolfriendRobertLindberg,inayellowM?lar-30intheguestmarinainArholma,hadarousedhiscuriosity.
“Youmeanthatyourbuddywaslying?”
“No,notatall.Hetoldmeexactlywhatheknew,andIcouldverifyeachandeverywordindocumentsfromtheauditatSIB.IevenwenttoPolandandphotographedthesheet-metalshackwherethishugebigMinospanywashoused.Iinterviewedseveralofthepeoplewhohadbeenemployedatthepany.Theyallsaidexactlythesamething.”
“Idon’tgetit.”
Blomkvistsighed.Itwasawhilebeforehespokeagain.
“Ihadadamnedgoodstory.Istillhadn’tconfrontedWennerstr?mhimself,butthestorywasairtight;ifIhadpublisheditatthatmomentIreallywouldhaveshookhimup.Itmightnothaveledtoanindictmentforfraud—thedealhadalreadybeenapprovedbytheauditors—butIwouldhavedamagedhisreputation.”
“Whatwentwrong?”
“SomewherealongthewaysomebodyheardaboutwhatIwaspokingmynoseinto,andWennerstr?mwasmadeawareofmyexistence.Andallofasuddenawholebunchofstrangethingsstartedhappening.FirstIwasthreatened.Anonymouscallsfromcardtelephonesthatwereimpossibletotrace.Erikawasalsothreatened.Itwastheusualnonsense:liedownorelsewe’regoingtonailyoutoabarndoor,andsoon.She,ofcourse,wasmadasahellcat.”
HetookacigarettefromSalander.
“Thensomethingextremelyunpleasanthappened.LateonenightwhenIlefttheofficeIwasattackedbytwomenwhojustwalkeduptomeandgavemeacoupleofpunches.Igotafatlipandfelldowninthestreet.Icouldn’tidentifythem,butoneofthemlookedlikeanoldbiker.”
“So,next…”
“Allthesegoings-on,ofcourse,onlyhadtheeffectofmakingErikaverycrossindeed,andIgotstubborn.WebeefedupsecurityatMillennium.Theproblemwasthattheharassmentwasoutofallproportiontothecontentofthestory.Wecouldn’tfathomwhyallthiswashappening.”
“Butthestoryyo