will.AndSonny,Iwantyoutoputtogetherafakereporteachmonthshowingfallingadvertisingsalesandshowingthatthenumberofsubscribershasalsodropped.”
“Thissoundsfun,”Nilssonsaid.“Shouldwekeepitinternalhereintheoffice,orshouldweleakittoothermediatoo?”
“Keepitinternal.Ifthestoryshowsupanywhere,we’llknowwhoputitthere.Inaveryfewmonths,ifanyoneasksusaboutit,we’llbeabletotellthem:you’vebeenlisteningtobaselessrumours,andwe’veneverconsideredclosingMillenniumdown.ThebestthingthatcouldhappenisforDahlmantogooutandtipofftheothermassmedia.Ifyou’reabletogiveDahlmanatipaboutaplausiblebutfundamentallyidioticstory,somuchthebetter.”
Theyspentanhourconcoctingascriptanddividingupthevariousroles.
AfterthemeetingBlomkvisthadcoffeewithMalmatJavaonHorngatspuckeln.
“Christer,it’sreallyimportantthatyoupickupErikaattheairportandfillherin.Youhavetoconvincehertoplayalongwiththegame.IfIknowher,she’llwanttoconfrontDahlmaninstantly—butthatcan’thappen.Idon’twantWennerstr?mtohearanykindofbuzzandthenmanagetoburytheevidence.”
“Willdo.”
“AndseetoitthatErikastaysawayfromheremailuntilsheinstallsthePGPencryptionprogrammeandlearnshowtouseit.It’sprettylikelythatthroughDahlman,Wennerstr?misabletoreadeverythingweemailtoeachother.IwantyouandeveryoneelseintheeditorialofficestoinstallPGP.Doitinanaturalway.Getthenameofaputerconsultanttocontactandhavehimeovertoinspecttheworkandalltheputersintheoffice.Lethiminstallthesoftwareasifitwereaperfectlynaturalpartoftheservice.”
“I’lldomybest.ButMikael—whatareyouworkingon?”
“Wennerstr?m.”
“Whatexactly?”
“Forthetimebeing,thathastoremainmysecret.”
Malmlookedunfortable.“I’vealwaystrustedyou,Mikael.Doesthismeanthatyoudon’ttrustme?”
Blomkvistlaughed.
“OfcourseItrustyou.ButrightnowI’minvolvedinratherseriouscriminalactivitiesthatcouldgetmetwoyearsinprison.It’sthenatureofmyresearchthat’salittledubious…I’mplayingwiththesameunderhandmethodsasWennerstr?muses.Idon’twantyouorErikaoranyoneelseatMillenni