blokvistrestrainedtheurgetolaugh.thiswasnoplaceforlaughter,inthecorridoroutsidevanger’ssickbed,whichightalsoturnouttobehisdeathbed.buthethoughtofaversefrolennarthyland’srhyingalphabet.itwastheletterm.andallaloheoosehestood,laughinginashot-upwood.
inthehospitallobbyheranintoceciliavanger.hehadtriedcallingherobileadozentiessinceshecaebackfroherinterruptedholiday,butshehadneveransweredorreturnedhiscalls.andshewasneverhoeatherplaceonhedebyislandwheneverhewalkedpastandknockedonthedoor.
“hi,cecilia,”hesaid.“i’sosorryaboutallthiswithhenrik.”
“thanks,”shesaid.
“weneedtotalk.”
“i’sorrythati’veshutyououtlikethis.icanunderstandthatyouustbecross,buti’nothavinganeasytieofitthesedays.”
mikaelputhishandonherarandsiledather.
“wait,you’vegotitwrong,cecilia.i’notcrossatall.iastillhopingthatwecanbefriends.canwehaveacupofcoffee？”henoddedinthedirectionofthehospitalcafeteria.
ceciliavangerhesitated.“nottoday.ineedtogoandseehenrik.”
“ok,butistillneedtotalktoyou.it’spurelyprofessional.”
“whatdoesthatean？”shewassuddenlyalert.
“doyoureeberthefirsttieweet,whenyoucaetothecottageinjanuary？isaidthatweweretalkingofftherecord,andthatifineededtoaskyouanyrealquestions,iwouldtellyou.ithastodowithharriet.”
ceciliavanger’sfacewassuddenlyflushedwithanger.
“youreallyarethefuckingpits.”
“cecilia,i’vefoundsoethingsthatireallydohavetotalktoyouabout.”
shetookastepawayfrohi.
“don’tyourealisethatthisbloodyhuntforthatcursedharrietisjustoupationaltherapyforhenrik？don’tyouseethatheightbeuptheredying,andthattheverylastthingheneedsistogetupsetagainandbefilledwithfalsehopesand…”
“itaybeahobbyforhenrik,butthereisnoworeaterialtogoonthananyonehashadtoworkwithinaverylongtie.therearequestionsthatdonowneedtobeanswered.”
“ifhenrikdies,thatinvestigationisgoingtobeoverawfullydanedfast.thenyou’llbeoutonyourgrubby,snivellinginvestigativebackside,”ceciliasaid,andshewalkedaway.
everythingwasclosed.hedestadwaspracticallydeserted,andtheinhabitantsseeedtohaveretreatedtotheirmidsuerpolesattheirsuercottages.blokvistadeforthestadshotelterrace,whichwasactuallyopen,andtherehewasabletoordercoffeeandasandwichandreadtheeveningpapers.nothingofiportancewashappeningintheworld.
heputthepaperdownandthoughtaboutceciliavanger.hehadtoldno-one—apartfrothesalandergirl—thatshewastheonewhohadopenedthewindowinharriet’sroo.hewasafraidthatitwouldakeherasuspect,andthelastthinghewantedtodowashurther.butthequestionwasgoingtohavetobeasked,soonerorlater.
hesatontheterraceforanhourbeforehedecidedtosetthewholeprobleasideanddevotemidsuerevetosoethingotherthanthevangerfaily.hisobilewassilent.bergerwasawayausingherselfsoewherewithherhusband,andhehadno-ootalkto.
hewentbacktohedebyislandataround4:00intheafternoonandadeanotherdecision—to. comsoking.hehadbeenworkingoutregularlyeversincehedidhisilitaryservice,bothatthegyandbyrunningalongs？derm？larstrand,buthadfallenoutofthehabitwhentheprobleswithwennerstr？began.itwasatrull？kerprisonthathehadstartingpupingironagain,ostlyastherapy.butsincehisreleasehehadtakenalostnoexercise.itwastietostartagain.heputonhistracksuitandsetoffatalazypacealongtheroadtogottfried’scabin,turnedofftowardsthefortress,andtookaroughercoursecrosscountry.hehaddonenoorienteeringsincehewasintheilitary,buthehadalwaysthoughtitwasorefuntorunthroughawoodedterrainthanonaflattrack.hefollowedthefencearound？sterg？rdenbacktothevillage.hewasachingalloverandoutofbreathbythetiehetookthelaststepsuptotheguesthouse.
at6:00hetookashower.heboiledsoepotatoesandhadopensandwichesofpickledherringinustardsaucewithchivesandeggonaricketytableoutsidethecottage,facingthebridge.hepouredhiselfashotofaquavitanddrankatoasttohiself.afterthatheopenedacrienovelbyvalmcderidentitledthemeraidssinging.
ataround7:00frodedroveupandsatheavilyinthechairacrossfrohi.blokvistpouredhiashotofsk？neaquavit.
“youstirredupsoeratherlivelyeotionstoday,”frodesaid.
“icouldseethat.”
“birgerisaconceitedfool.”
“iknowthat.”
“butceciliaisnotaconceitedfool,andshe’sfurious.”
mikaelnodded.
“shehasinstructedetoseethatyou. compokingaroundinthefaily’saffairs.”
“isee.andwhatdidyousaytoher？”
frodelookedathisglassofsk？neanddownedtheliquorinonegulp.
“myresponsewasthathenrikhasgiveneclearinstructionsaboutwhathewantsyoutodo.aslongashedoesn’tchangethoseinstructions,youwillcontinuetobeeployedunderthetersofyourcontract.iexpectyoutodoyourbesttofulfilyourpartofthecontract.”
blokvistlookedupatthesky,whereraincloudshadbeguntogather.
“lookslikeastorisbrewing,”frodesaid.“ifthewindsgettoostrong,i’llhavetobackyouup.”
“thankyou.”
theysatinsilenceforawhile.
“couldihaveanotherdrink？”
onlyinutesafterfrodehadgonehoe,martinvangerdroveupandparkedhiscarbytheroadinfrontofthecottage.hecaeoverandsaidhello.mikaelwishedhiahappymidsuerandaskedifhe’dlikeadrink.
“no,it’sbetterifidon’t.i’justheretochangeyclothesandtheni’goingtodrivebacktotowntospendtheeveningwitheva.”
blokvistwaited.
“i’vetalkedtocecilia.she’salittletrauatisedjustnow—sheandhenrikhavealwaysbeenclose.ihopeyou’llfiveherifshesaysanything…unpleasant.”
“i’veryfondofcecilia.”
“iknowthat.butshecanbedifficult.ijustwantyoutoknowthatshe’sveryuchagainstyourgoingondiggingintoourpast.”
blokvistsighed.everyoneinhedestadseeedtoknohyvangerhadhiredhi.
“what’syourfeeling？”
“thisthingwithharriethasbeenhenrik’sobsessionfordecades.idon’tknow…harrietwasysister,butsoehowitfeelsallsofaraway.dirchsaysthatyouhaveacontractthatonlyhenrikcanbreak,andi’afraidthatinhispresentconditionitwoulddooreharthangood.”
“soyouwantetocontinue？”
“haveyouadeanyprogress？”
