omeditorinchieftopublisheronleaveofabsence:Mikael.Iwanttoknowwhat’sgoingon—goodgrief,I’veebackfromholidaytototalchaos.ThenewsaboutJanneDahlmanandthisdoublegameyou’veeupwith.MartinVangerdead.HarrietVangeralive.What’sgoingoninHedeby?Whereareyou?Isthereastory?Whydon’tyouansweryourmobile?/E.
P.S.IunderstoodtheinsinuationthatChristerrelayedwithsuchglee.You’regoingtohavetoeatyourwords.Areyouseriouslycrosswithme?
P.P.S.Iamtrustingyouforthetimebeing,butyouaregoingtohavetogiveproof—youremember,thestuffthatstandsupincourt—onJ.D.
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HiRicky.No,forGod’ssake,I’mnotcross.Fivemefornotkeepingyouupdated,butthepastfewmonthsofmylifehavebeentopsy-turvy.I’lltellyoueverythingwhenweseeeachother,butnotbyemail.I’matSandhamn.Thereisastory,butthestoryisnotHarrietVanger.I’mgoingtobegluedtomyputerhereforawhile.Thenit’llbeover.Trustme.Hugsandkisses.M.
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Sandhamn?I’mingtoseeyouimmediately.
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Notrightnow.Waitacoupleofweeks,atleastuntilI’vegotthestoryanised.Besides,I’mexpectingpany.
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Inthatcase,ofcourseI’llstayaway.ButIhavetoknowwhat’sgoingon.HenrikVangerhasbeeCEOagain,andhedoesn’tanswermycalls.IfthedealwithVangerisoff,Iabsolutelyneedtoknow.Ricky
P.S.Whoisshe?
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Firstofall:noquestionofHenrikpullingout.Butheisstillworkingonlyashortday,andI’mguessingthatthechaosafterMartin’sdeathandHarriet’sresurrectionistakingitstollonhisstrength.
Second:Millenniumwillsurvive.I’mworkingonthemostimportantreportofourlives,andwhenwepublishit,it’sgoingtosinkWennerstr?monceandforall.
Third:Mylifeisupanddownrightnow,butasforyouandmeandMillennium—nothinghaschanged.Trustme.Kisses/Mikael.
P.S.I’llintroduceyouassoonasanopportunitypresentsitself.
WhenSalanderwentouttoSandhamnshefoundanunshavenandhollow-eyedBlomkvist,whogaveheraquickhugandaskedhertomakesomecoffeeandwaitwhilehefinishedwhathewaswriting.
Salanderlookedaroundhiscabinanddeci