“yes,henrikhasalwaysbeeninterestedinphotography—eversincehewasyoung,i’vebeentold.hehaslotsofalbusinhisoffice.”
“couldyoushowe？”
herreluctancewasplaintosee.itwasohingtolendblokvistthekeytothefailycrypt—godwasinchargethere,afterall—butitwasanotherattertolethiintohenrikvanger’soffice.god’swritdidnotextendthere.blokvistsuggestedthatannashouldcallfrode.finallysheagreedtoallowhiin.alostthreefeetoftheverybottoshelfwastakenupwithphotographalbus.hesatatthedeskandopenedthefirstalbu.
vangerhadsavedeverylastfailyphotograph.manywereobviouslyfrolongbeforehistie.theoldestpicturesdatedbacktothe1870s,showinggruffenandsternwoen.therewerepicturesofvanger’sparents.oneshowedhisfathercelebratingmidsuerwithalargeandcheerfulgroupinsandhanin1906.anothersandhanphotographshowedfredrikvangerandhiswife,ulrika,withanderszornandalbertengstr？sittingatatable.otherphotographsshowedworkersonthefactoryfloorandinoffices.hefoundcaptainoskargranathwhohadtransportedvangerandhisbelovededithlobachtosafetyinkarlskrona.
annacaeupstairswithacupofcoffee.hethankedher.bythenhehadreachedoderntiesandwaspagingthroughiagesofvangerinhisprie,openingfactories,shakinghandswithtageerlander,oneofvangerandmarcuswallenberg—thetwocapitalistsstaringgrilyateachother.
inthesaealbuhefoundaspreadonwhichvangerhadwritteninpencil“failycouncil1966.”twocolourphotographsshowedentalkingandsokingcigars.herecognisedhenrik,harald,greger,andseveralofthealein-lawsinjohanvanger’sbranchofthefaily.twophotographsshowedtheforaldinner,fortyenandwoenseatedatthetable,alllookingintothecaera.thepicturesweretakenafterthedraaatthebridgewasoverbutbeforeanyonewasawarethatharriethaddisappeared.hestudiedtheirfaces.thiswasthedinnersheshouldhaveattended.didanyoftheenknowthatshewasgone？thephotographsprovidednoanswer.
thensuddenlyhechokedonhiscoffee.hestartedcoughingandsatupstraightinhischair.
atthefarendofthetablesatceciliavangerinherlight-coloureddress,silingintothecaera.nexttohersatanotherblondewoanwithlonghairandanidenticallight-coloureddress.theyweresoalikethattheycouldhavebeentwins.andsuddenlythepuzzlepiecefelli. comlace.ceciliawasn’ttheoneinharriet’swindow—itwashersister,anita,twoyearsherjuniorandnowlivinginlondon.
whatwasitsalanderhadsaid？ceciliavangerisinalotofthepictures.notatall.thereweretwogirls,andaschancewouldhaveit—untilnow—theyhadneverbeenseeninthesaefrae.intheblack-and-whitephotographs,froadistance,theylookedidentical.vangerhadpresuablyalwaysbeenabletotellthesistersapart,butforblokvistandsalanderthegirlslookedsoalikethattheyhadassueditwasoneperson.andno-onehadeverpointedouttheiristakebecausetheyhadneverthoughttoask.
blokvistturnedthepageandfeltthehairsonthebackofhisneckstandonend.itwasasifacoldgustofwindpassedthroughtheroo.
therewerepicturestakenthenextday,whenthesearchforharriethadbegun.ayounginspectormorellwasgivinginstructionstoasearchpartyconsistingoftwouniforedpoliceofficersandtenenwearingbootswhowereabouttosetout.vangerwaswearingaknee-lengthraincoatandanarrow-briedenglishhat.
ontheleftofthephotographstoodayoung,slightlystoutyounganwithlight,longishhair.hehadonadarkpaddedjacketwitharedpatchattheshoulder.theiagewasveryclear.blokvistrecognisedhiatonce—andthejacket—but,justtoakesure,hereovedthephotographandwentdowntoaskannaifsherecognisedthean.
“yes,ofcourse,that’smartin.”
salanderploughedthroughyearafteryearofpresscuttings,ovinginchronologicalorder.shebeganin1949andworkedherwayforward.thearchivewashuge.thepanywasentionedintheedianearlyeverydayduringtherelevanttieperiod—notonlyinthelocalpressbutalsointhenationaledia.therewerefinancialanalyses,tradeunionnegotiations,thethreatofstrikes,factoryopeningsandfactoryclosings,annualreports,changesinanagers,newproductsthatwerelaunched…therewasafloodofnews.click.click.click.herbrainwasworkingathighspeedasshefocusedandabsorbedtherationfrotheyellowingpages.
afterseveralhoursshehadanidea.sheaskedthearchivesanageriftherewasachartshowingwherethevangercorporationhadfactoriesorpaniesduringthefiftiesandsixties.
bodillindgrenlookedatsalanderwithundisguisedcoldness.shewasnotatallhappygivingatotalstrangerperissiontoentertheinnersanctuofthefir’sarchives,beingobligedtoallowhertolookthroughwhateverdocuentssheliked.andbesides,thisgirllookedlikesoesortofhalf-wittedfifteen-year-oldanarchist.butherrfrodehadgivenherinstructionsthatcouldnotbeisinterpreted.thisslipofagirlwastobefreetolookatanythingshepleased.anditwasurgent.shebroughtouttheprintedannualreportsfortheyearsthatsalanderwantedtosee；eachreportcontainedachartofthefir’sdivisionsthroughoutsweden.
salanderlookedatthechartsandsawthatthefirhadanyfactories,offices,andsalesoutlets.ateverysitewhereaurderwasitted,therewasalsoareddot,soetiesseveral,indicatingthevangercorporation.
shefoundthefirstconnectionin1957.rakellunde,landskrona,wasfounddeadthedayafterthev.＆ap；c.constructionpanyclinchedanorderworthseveralilliontobuildagalleriainthetown.v.＆ap；c.stoodforvangerandcarlénconstruction.thelocalpaperhadinterviewedgottfriedvanger,whohadetotowntosignthecontract.
salanderrecalledsoethingshehadreadinthepoliceinvestigationintheprovincialrecordofficeinlandskrona.rakellunde,fortune-tellerinherfreetie,wasanofficecleaner.shehadworkedforv.＆ap；c.construction.
at7:00intheeveningblokvistcalledsalanderadozentiesandeachtieherobilewasturnedoff.shedidnotwanttobedisturbed.
hewanderedrestlesslythroughthehouse.hehadpulledoutvanger’snotesonmartin’sactivitiesatthetieofharriet’sdisappearance.
martinvangerwasinhislastyearatthepreparatoryschoolinuppsalain1966.uppsala.lenaandersson,seventeen-year-oldpreparatoryschoolpupil.headseparatedfrothefat.
vangerhadentionedthisatonepoint,butblokvisthadtoconsulthisnotestofindthepassage.martinhadbeenanintrovertedboy.theyhadbeenworriedabouthi.afterhisfatherdrowned,isabellahaddecidedtosendhitouppsala—achangeofscenewherehewasgivenrooandboardwithharaldvanger.haraldandmartin？ithardlyfeltright.
martinvangerwasnotwithharaldinthecargoingtothegatheringinhedestad,andhehadissedatrain.hearrivedlateintheafternoonandsowasaongthosestrandedonthewrongsideofthebridge.heonlyarrivedontheislandbyboatsoetieafter6:00.hewasreceivedbyvangerhiself,aongothers.vangerhadputmartinfardownthelistofpeoplewhoighthavehadanythingtodowithharriet’sdisappearance.
martinsaidthathehadnotseenharrietonthatday.hewaslying.hehadarrivedinhedestadearlierinthedayandhewasonj？rnv？gsgatan,facetofacewithhissister.blokvistcouldprovetheliewithphotographsthathadbeenburiedforalostfortyyears.
harrietvangerhadseenherbrotherandreactedwithshock.shehadgoneouttohedebyislandandtriedtotalktohenrik,butshewasgonebeforeanyconversationcouldtakeplace.whatwereyouthinkingoftellinghi？uppsala？butlenaandersson,uppsala,wasnotonthelist.youcouldnothaveknownaboutit.
thestorystilldidnotakesensetoblokvist.harriethaddisappearedaround3:00intheafternoon.martinwasunquestionablyontheothersideofthewateratthattie.hecouldbeseeninthephotographfrothechurchhill.hecouldnotpossiblyhavehurtharrietontheisland.onepuzzlepiecewasstillissing.anacplice？anitavanger？
frothearchivessalandercouldseethatgottfriedvanger’spositionwithinthefirhadchangedovertheyears.attheageoftwentyin1947,heetisabellaandiediatelygotherpregnant；martinvangerwasbornin1948,andwiththattherewasnoquestionbutthattheyoungpeoplewouldarry.
whengottfriedwastwenty-two,hewasbroughtintotheainofficeofthevangercorporationbyhenrikvanger.hewasobviouslytalentedandtheyayhavebeengrooinghitotakeover.hewasprootedtotheboardattheageoftwenty-five,astheassistantheadofthepany’sdevelopentdivision.arisingstar.
soetieintheid-fiftieshisstarbega. comluet.hedrank.hisarriagetoisabellawasontherocks.thechildren,harrietandmartin,werenotdoingwell.henrikdrewtheline.gottfried’scareerhadreacheditszenith.in1956anotherappointentwasade,anotherassistantheadofdevelopent.twoassistantheads:onewhodidtheworkwhilegottfrieddrankandwasabsentforlongperiodsoftie.
butgottfriedwasstillavanger,aswellascharingandeloquent.fro1957on,hisworkseeedtoconsistoftravellingaroundthecountrytoopenfactories,resolvelocalconflicts,andspreadaniagethatpanyanageentreallydidcare.we’resendingoutoneofourownsonstolistentoyourprobles.wedotakeyouseriously.
salanderfoundasecondconnection.gottfriedvangerhadparticipatedinanegotiationinkarlstad,wherethevangercorporationhadboughtatiberpany.onthefollowingdayafarer’swife,magdalovisasj？berg,wasfoundurdered.
salanderdiscoveredthethirdconnectionjustfifteeninuteslater.uddevalla,1962.thesaedaythatleaperssondisappeared,thelocalpaperhadinterviewedgottfriedvangeraboutapossibleexpansionoftheharbour.
whenfrulindgrenhadwantedtocloseupandgohoeat5:30,salanderhadsnappedatherthatshewasalongwayfrofinishedyet.shecouldgohoeaslongassheleftthekey,andsalanderwouldlockup.bythattiethearchivesanagerwassoinfuriatedthatagirllikethisonecouldbossheraroundthatshecalledherrfrode.frodetoldherthatsalandercouldstayallnightifshewantedto.wouldfrulindgrenpleasenotifysecurityattheofficesothattheycouldletsalanderoutwhenshewantedtoleave？
threehourslater,gettingonfor8:30,salanderhadconcludedthatgottfriedvangerhadbeenclosetowhereatleastfiveoftheeighturderswereitted,eitherduringthedaysbeforeoraftertheevent.shewasstillissingrationabouttheurdersin1949and1954.shestudiedanewspaperphotographofhi.asli,handsoeanwithdarkblondhair；helookedratherlikeclarkgableingonewiththewind.
in1949gottfriedwastwenty-twoyearsold.thefirsturdertookplaceinhishoeterritory.hedestad.rebeckajacobsson,whoworkedatthevangercorporation.wheredidthetwoofyoueet？whatdidyouproiseher？
salanderbitherlip.theproblewasthatgottfriedvangerhaddrownedwhenhewasdrunkin1965,whilethelasturderwasittedinuppsalainfebruary1966.shewonderedifshewasistakenwhenshehadaddedlenaandersson,theseventeen-year-oldschoolgirl,tothelist.no.itightnotbethesaesignature,butitwasthesaebibleparody.theyustbeconnected.
by9:00itwasgettingdark.theairwascoolanditwasdrizzling.mikaelwassittinginthekitchen,druinghisfingersonthetable,whenmartinvanger’svolvocrossedthebridgeandturnedouttowardsthepoint.thatsoehowbroughtatterstoahead.
hedidnotknohatheshoulddo.hiswholebeingwasburningwithadesiretoaskquestions—toinitiateaconfrontation.itwascertainlynotasensibleattitudetohaveifhesuspectedmartinvangerofbeinganinsaneurdererwhohadkilledhissisterandagirlinuppsala,andwhohadalsoverynearlysueededinkillinghitoo.butmartinwasalsoaag.andhedidnotknowthatblokvistknew；hecouldgoandseehiwiththepretextthat…well,hewantedtoreturnthekeytogottfriedvanger’scabin.blokvistlockedthedoorbehindhiandstrolledouttothepoint.
haraldvanger’shousewaspitchdark,asusual.inhenrik’shousethelightswereoffexceptinoneroofacingthecourtyard.annahadgoobed.isabella’shousewasdark.ceciliawasn’tathoe.thelightswereonupstairsinalexander’shouse,butth
