inacornerwasawoodstoveadeofsoapstonewithaglazedfront.therestofthesparsefurnishingsconsistedofalargewardrobeforclothesandlinenandasinkthatalsofunctionedasawashingalcovebehindashowercurtain.nearthesinkwasasallwindowononesideofthecabin.underthespiralstairstotheloftblokvisthadbuiltaseparatespaceforapostingtoilet.thewholecabinwasarrangedlikethecabinonaboat,withclevercubbyholesforstowingthings.
duringherpersonalinvestigationofmikaelblokvist,salanderhadfoundoutthathehadreodelledthecabinandbuiltthefurniturehiself—aconclusiondrawnfrotheentsofanacquaintancewhohadsentmikaelaneailaftervisitingsandhanandwasipressedbyhishandiwork.everythingwasclean,unpretentious,andsiple,borderingonspartan.shecouldseewhyhelovedthiscabininsandhansouch.
aftertwohourssheanagedtodistractmikaelenoughthatheturnedoffhisputerinfrustration,shaved,andtookheroutforaguidedtour.itwasrainingandwindy,andtheyquicklyretreatedtotheinn.blokvisttoldherwhathewaswriting,andsalandergavehiacdwithupdatesfrowennerstr？’sputer.
thenshetookhiuptotheloftandanagedtogethisclothesoffanddistracthievenfurther.shewokeuplatethatnighttofindherselfalone.shepeereddownfrotheloftandsawhisittinghunchedoverhisputer.shelaythereforalongtie,leaningononehand,watchinghi.heseeedhappy,andshetoofeltstrangelycontentwithlife.
salanderstayedonlyfivedaysbeforeshewentbacktostockholtodoajobforaransky.shespentelevendaysontheassignent,adeherreport,andthenreturnedtosandhan.thestackofprintedpagesnexttomikael’siwasgrowing.
thistieshestayedforfourweeks.theyfellintoaroutine.theygotupat8:00,atebreakfast,andspentanhourtogether.thenmikaelworkedintentlyuntillateintheafternoon,whentheytookawalkandtalked.salanderspentostofthedaysinbed,eitherreadingsorsurfingtheusingblokvist’sadslode.shetriednottodisturbhiduringtheday.theyatedinnerratherlateandonlythendidsalandertaketheinitiativeandforcehiuptothesleepingloft,whereshesawtoitthathedevotedallhisattentiontoher.
itwasasifshewereontheveryfirstholidayofherlife.
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him.it’snowofficial.jannedahlanhasresignedandstartsworkingatmonopolyfinancialmagazineinthreeweeks.i’vedoneasyouaskedandsaidnothing,andeveryoneisgoingaroundplayingonkeygaes.e.
p.s.theyseetobehavingfun.henryandlottahadafightandstartedthrowingthingsateachotheracoupleofdaysago.they’vebeenessingwithdahlan’sheadsoblatantlythatican’tunderstandhowhecanissseeingthatit’sallaput-upjob.
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to:
wishhigoodluckfroe,willyou,andlethigostraightaway.butlockupthesilverware.hugsandkisses/m.
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ihavenoanagingeditortwoweeksbeforeweg. comress,andyinvestigativereporterissittingoutinsandhanrefusingtotalktoe.micke,i’onyknees.canyouein？/erika.
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holdoutanothercoupleofweeks,thenwe’llbehoefree.andstartplanningforadeceberissuethat’sgoingtobeunlikeanythingwe’veeverdone.thepiecewilltakeup40pages.m.
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40pages！！！areyououtofyourind？
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it’sgoingtobeaspecialissue.ineedthreeoreweeks.couldyoudothefollowing:findagoodprinterthatcanproduceapaperbackquicklyandcheaply.andbytheway,we’regoingtoneedcapita. comrintourfirst.kisses/mikael
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specialissue.publisher.money.yes,aster.anythingelseicandoforyou？dancenakedatslussplan？/e.
p.s.iassueyouknohatyou’redoing.butwhatdoidoaboutdahlan？
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don’tdoanythingaboutdahlan.tellhihe’sfreetogorightawayandyouaren’tsureyoucanpayhiswagesanyway.monopolyisn’tgoingtosurviveforlong.bringinorefreelanceaterialforthisissue.andhireanewanagingeditor,forgod’ssake./m.
p.s.slussplan？it’sadate.
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slussplan—inyourdreas.butwe’vealwaysdohehiringtogether./ricky.
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andwe’vealwaysagreedaboutwhoweshouldhire.wewillthistietoo,noatterwhoyouchoose.we’regoingtoscupperwennerstr？.that’sthewholestory.justletefinishthisinpeace./m.
inearlyoctobersalanderreadanarticleontheintereditionofthehedestadcourier.shetoldblokvistaboutit.isabellavangerhaddiedafterashortillness.shewasournedbyherdaughter,harrietvanger,latelyreturnedfroaustralia.
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himikael.
harrietvangercaetoseeeattheofficetoday.shecalledfiveinutesbeforeshearrived,andiwastotallyunprepared.abeautifulwoan,elegantclothesandacoolgaze.
shecaetotellethatshe’llbereplacingmartinvangerashenrik’srepresentativeonourboard.shewaspoliteandfriendlyandassuredethatthevangercorporationhadnoplanstobackoutoftheagreeent.onthecontrary,thefailystandsfullybehindhenrik’sobligationstotheagazine.sheaskedforatouroftheeditorialoffices,andshewantedtoknowhowiseethesituation.
itoldherthetruth.thatitfeelsasifidon’thavesolidgroundunderyfeet,thatyouhaveforbiddenetoetosandhan,andthatidon’tknohatyou’reworkingon,otherthanthatyouareplanningtosinkwennerstr？.sheraisedaneyebrowandsiledandaskedifihaddoubtsthatyou’dsueed.whatwasisupposedtosaytothat？isaidthatiwouldsleepalittleeasierifiknewexactlywhatyouwerewriting.jeez,ofcourseitrustyou.butyou’redrivingecrazy.
iaskedherifsheknehatyouwereworkingon.shedenieditbutsaidthatitwasheripressionthatyouwereextreelyresourceful,withaninnovativewayofthinking.
isaidthatialsogatheredthatsoethingdraatichadhappenedupinhedestadandthatiwaseversoslightlycuriousaboutthestoryregardingharrietvangerherself.inshort,ifeltlikeanidiot.sheaskedewhetheryoureallyhadn’ttoldeanything.shesaidthatsheunderstoodthatyouandihaveaspecialrelationshipandthatyouwouldundoubtedlytellethestorywhenyouhadtie.thensheaskedifshecouldtruste.whatwasisupposedtosay？she’sonthemillenniuboard,andyou’velefteheretotallyinthedark.
thenshesaidsoethingodd.sheaskedenottojudgeeitherheroryoutooharshly.shesaidsheowedyousoesortofdebtofgratitude,andshewouldreallylikeitifsheandicouldalsobefriends.thensheproisedtotellethestorysoedayifyoucouldn’tdoit.halfanhouragosheleft,andi’stillinadaze.ithinkilikeher,butwhoisthisperson？/erika
p.s.iissyou.ihaveafeelingthatsoethingnastyhappenedinhedestad.christersaysthatyouhaveastrangearkonyourneck.
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hiricky.thestoryaboutharrietissoiserablyawfulthatyoucan’teveniagineit.itwouldbegreatifshecouldtellyouaboutitherself.icanhardlybringyselftothinkaboutit.
bytheway,youcantrusther.shewastellingthetruthwhenshesaidthatsheowesadebtofgratitudetoe—andbelievee,shewillneverdoanythingtoharmillenniu.beherfriendifyoulikeher.shedeservesrespect.andshe’sahellofabusinesswoan./m.
thenextdaymikaelreceivedanothereail.
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himikael.i’vebeentryingtofindtietowritetoyouforseveralweeksnow,butitseesthereareneverenoughhoursintheday.youleftsosuddenlyfrohedebythatineverhadachancetosaygoodbye.
sinceyreturntosweden,ydayshavebeenfilledwithb
