“itwasn’tpartofyassignenttolookatthequestionoffactinthewennerstr？affair,butididfollowthetrialandhavetoaditthatiwasactuallyflabbergasted.thethingfeltwrong,andit’stotally…outofcharacterformikaelblokvis. comublishsoethingthatseestobesooffthewall.”
salanderscratchedherneck.frodelookedpatient.aranskywonderedwhetherheightbeistakenorwhethersalanderreallywasunsurehowtocontinue.thesalanderhekneasneverunsureorhesitant.finallysheseeedtoakeupherind.
“quiteofftherecord,sotospeak…ihaven’tstudiedthewennerstr？affairproperly,butireallythinkthatmikaelblokvistwassetup.ithinkthere’ssoethingtotallydifferentinthisstorythanwhatthecourt’sverdictisindicating.”
thelawyerscrutinisedsalanderwithsearchingeyes,andaranskynoticedthatforthefirsttiesinceshebeganherreport,theclientwasshowingorethanapoliteinterest.headeaentalnotethatthewennerstr？affairheldacertaininterestforfrode.correction,aranskythoughtatonce,frodewasnotinterestedinthewennerstr？affair—itwaswhensalanderhintedthatblokvistwassetupthatfrodereacted.
“howdoyouean,exactly？”frodesaid.
“it’sspeculationonypart,buti’convincedthatsoeorickedhi.”
“andwhatakesyouthinkso？”
“everythinginblokvist’sbackgroundshowsthathe’saverycarefulreporter.everycontroversialrevelationhepublishedbeforewasalwayswelldocuented.iwenttocourtonedayandlistened.heseeedtohavegivenupwithoutafight.thatdoesn’taordwithhischaracteratall.ifwearetobelievethecourt,headeupastoryaboutwennerstr？withoutashredofevidenceandpublisheditlikesoesortofjournalisticsuicidebober.that’ssiplynotblokvist’sstyle.”
“sowhatdoyouthinkhappened？”
“icanonlyguess.blokvistbelievedinhisstory,butsoethinghappenedalongthewayandtherationturnedouttobefalse.thisinturneansthatthesourcewassoeonehetrustedorthatsoeonedeliberatelyfedhifalseration—whichsoundsiprobablyplicated.thealternativeisthathewassubjectedtosuchaseriousthreatthathethrewinthetowelandwouldratherbeseenasaninpetentidiotthanfightback.buti’justspeculating,asisaid.”
whensalanderadeanattepttocontinueheraount,frodehelduphishand.hesatforaoent,druinghisfingersonthearrestofhischairbeforehehesitantlyturnedtoheragain.
“ifweshoulddecidetoengageyoutounravelthetruthinthewennerstr？affair…howuchchanceistherethatyou’dfindoutanything？”
“ican’tanswerthat.thereaynotbeanythingtofind.”
“butwouldyoubewillingtoakeanattept？”
sheshrugged.“it’snotyplacetodecide.iworkforherraransky,andhedecideswhatjobshewantstoassigntoe.andthenitdependswhatsortofrationyou’relookingfor.”
“leteputitthisway…anditakeitthatwe’respeakinginconfidence？”aranskynodded.“idon’tknowanythingaboutthisparticularatter,butidoknowbeyondanydoubtthatinothersituationswennerstr？hasacteddishonestly.thewennerstr？casehasseriouslyaffectedmikaelblokvist’slife,andihaveaninterestindiscerningwhetherthere’sanythinginyourspeculations.”
theconversationhadtakenanunexpectedturn,andaranskywasinstantlyonthealert.whatfrodewasaskingwasformiltonsecurit. comokearoundinacasethathadalreadybeenconcluded.acaseinwhichthereayhavebeensoesortofthreattotheanblokvist,andiftheytookthison,miltonwouldriskcollidingwithwennerstr？’sregientoflawyers.aranskywasnotintheleastfortedbythethoughtofturningsalanderlooseinsuchasituation,likeacruiseissileoutofcontrol.
itwasnoterelyaatterofconcernforthepany.salanderhadadeplainthatshedidnotwantaranskytoactassoesortofworriedstepfather,andsincetheiragreeenthehadbeencarefulnevertobehavelikeone,butinrealityhewouldnever. comworryingabouther.hesoetiescaughthiselfparingsalandertohisdaughters.heconsideredhiselfagoodfatherwhodidnotinterfereunnecessarilyintheirlives.butheknewthathewouldnottolerateitifhisdaughtersbehavedlikesalanderorlivedthelifesheled.
inthedepthsofhiscroatian—orpossiblybosnianorarenian—hearthehadneverbeenabletoshedtheconvictionthatsalander’slifewasheadingfordisaster.sheseeedtheperfectvictiforanyonewhowishedherill,andhedreadedtheorninghewouldbeawakenedbythenewsthatsoeonehaddoneherhar.
“aninvestigationofthiskindcouldgetexpensive,”aranskysaid,issuingawarningsoastogaugetheseriousnessoffrode’sinquiry.
“thenwe’llsetaceiling,”frodesaid.“idon’tdeandtheipossible,butit’sobviousthatyourcolleague,justasyouassurede,isexceedinglypetent.”
“salander？”aranskysaid,turningtoherwitharaisedeyebrow.
“i’notworkingonanythingelserightnow.”
“ok.butiwantustobeinagreeentabouttheconstraintsofthejob.let’sheartherestofyourreport.”
“thereisn’tuchoreapartfrohisprivatelife.in1986hearriedmonicaabrahassonandthesaeyeartheyhadadaughter,pernilla.thearriagedidn’tlast；theyweredivorcedin1991.abrahassonhasrearried,buttheyseetobefriendsstill.thedaughterliveswithherotheranddoesn’tseeblokvistoften.”
frodeaskedfororecoffeeandthenturnedtosalander.
“yousaidthateveryonehassecrets.didyoufindany？”
“ieantthatallpeoplehavethingstheyconsidertobeprivateandthattheydon’tgoaroundairinginpublic.blokvistisobviouslyabighitwithwoen.he’shadseveralloveaffairsandagreatanycasualflings.butonepersonhaskeptturningupinhislifeovertheyears,andit’sanunusualrelationship.”
“inwhatway？”
“erikaberger,editorinchiefofmillenniu:upper-classgirl,swedishother,belgianfatherresidentinsweden.bergerandblokvistetinjournalisschoolandhavehadanon-and-offrelationshipeversince.”
“thataynotbesounusual,”frodesaid.
“no,possiblynot.butbergerhappenstobearriedtotheartistgregerbeckan,ainorcelebritywhohasdonealotofterriblethingsinpublicvenues.”
“soshe’sunfaithful.”
“beckanknowsabouttheirrelationship.it’sasituationapparentlyaeptedbyallpartiesconcerned.soetiesshesleepsatblokvist’sandsoetiesathoe.idon’tknowexactlyhowitworks,butitwasprobablyacontributingfactortothebreakupofblokvist’sarriagetoabrahasson.”
chapter3
friday,deceber20–saturday,deceber21
erikabergerlookedupquizzicallywhenanapparentlyfreezingblokvistcaeintotheeditorialoffice.millenniu’sofficeswereinthecentreofthetrendysectionofg？tgatan,abovetheofficesofgreenpeace.therentwasactuallyabittoosteepfortheagazine,buttheyhadallagreedtokeepthespace.
sheglancedattheclock.itwas5:10,anddarknesshadfallenoverst
