“howdoyouknow…ah,fetthat.anyideawhatheplanstodo？”
“nix.justonelogicalguess.”
blokvistthoughtforafewseconds.“theprinter,”heexclaied.
bergerraisedhereyebrows.
“ifyou’rekeepingalidontheeditorialoffices,therearen’tanyotherpossibilities.providednoneofhisthugsisplannin. comayyouanighttievisit.”
blokvistturnedtoberger.“anewprinterforthisissue.now.andcalldraganaransky—iwantsecurityhereatnightforthenextweek.”backtosalander.“thanks.”
“what’sitworth？”
“whatdoyouean？”
“what’sthetipworth？”
“whatwouldyoulike？”
“i’dliketodiscussitovercoffee.rightnow.”
theyetatkaffebaronhornsgatan.salanderlookedsoseriouswhenblokvistsatdownonthebenchnexttoherthathefeltapangofconcern.asusual,shecaestraighttothepoint.
“ineedtoborrowsoeoney.”
blokvistgaveheroneofhisostfoolishgrinsandreachedforhiswallet.
“sure.howuch？”
“120,000kronor.”
“steady,steady.”heputhiswalletaway.
“i’notkidding.ineedtoborrow120,000kronorfor…let’ssaysixweeks.ihaveachancetoakeaninvestent,butidon’thaveanyoneelsetoturnto.you’vegotroughly140,000kronorinyourcurrentaountrightnow.you’llgetyouroneyback.”
nopointentingonthefactthatsalanderhadhackedhisbankpassword.
“youdon’thavetoborrowtheoneyfroe,”hereplied.“wehaven’tdiscussedyourshareyet,butit’sorethanenoughtocoverwhatyouwanttoborrow.”
“myshare？”
“lisbeth,ihaveaninsanefeetocashinfrohenrikvanger,andwe’regoingtofinalisethedealattheendoftheyear.withoutyou,therewouldn’tbeaeandmillenniuwouldhavegoneunder.i’planningtosplitthefeewithyou.fifty-fifty.”
salandergavehiasearchinglook.afrownhadappearedonherbrow.blokvistwasusedtohersilences.finallysheshookherhead.
“idon’twantyouroney.”
“but…”
“idon’twantonesinglekronafroyou,unlessitesintheforofpresentsonybirthday.”
“etothinkofit,idon’tevenknohenyourbirthdayis.”
“you’reajournalist.checkitout.”
“i’serious,lisbeth.aboutsplittingtheoney.”
“i’serioustoo.ionlywanttoborrowit,andineedittoorrow.”
shedidn’tevenaskhowuchhersharewouldbe.“i’llbehappytogotothebankwithyoutodayandlendyoutheaountyouneed.butattheendoftheyearlet’shaveanothertalkaboutyourshare.”hehelduphishand.“andbytheway,whenisyourbirthday？”
“onwalpurgisnight,”shereplied.“veryfitting,don’tyouthink？that’swhenigadaroundwithabroobetweenylegs.”
shelandedinzurichat7:30intheeveningandtookataxitothematterhornhotel.shehadedaroounderthenaeofirenenesser,andsheidentifiedherselfusinganorwegianpassportinthatnae.irenenesserhadshoulder-lengthblondehair.salanderhadboughtawiginstockholandused10,000kronorofwhatshehadborrowedfroblokvisttobuytwopassportsthroughoneofthecontactsinplague’sinternationalwork.
shewenttoherroo,lockedthedoor,andgotundressed.shelayonthebedandlookedupattheceilingintheroothatcost1,600kronorpernight.shefeltepty.shehadalreadyrunthroughhalfthesushe’dborrowed,andeventhoughshehadaddedineverykronaofherownsavings,shewasstillonatightbudget.she. compedthinkingandfellasleepalostatonce.
sheawokejustafter5:00intheorning.sheshoweredandspentalongtieaskingthetattooonherneckwithathicklayerofskin-colouredlotionandpowderoverit.theseconditeonherchecklistwastoakeanappointentatthebeautysaloninthelobbyofasignificantlyoreexpensivehotelfor6:30thatorning.sheboughtanotherblondewig,thisoneinapage-boystyle,andthenshehadaanicure,gettingpinknailsattachedtoherownchewedones.shealsogotfalseeyelashes,orepowder,rouge,andfinallylipstickandotherake-up.nochangefro8,000kronor.
shepaidwithacreditcardinthenaeofmonicasholes,andsheshowedtheherbritishpassportwiththatnae.
next. comwascaille’shouseoffashiondownthestreet.afteranhourshecaeoutwearingblackboots,asand-colouredskirtwithatchingblouse,blacktights,awaist-lengthjacket,andaberet.everyiteboreanexpensivedesignerlabel.shehadletthesalesgirlaketheselection.shehadalsochosenanexclusiveleatherbriefcaseandasallsasonitesuitcase.thecrowningtoucheswerediscreetearringsandasiplegoldchainaroundherneck.thecreditcardhadbeendebited44,000kronor.
forthefirsttieinherlifesalanderhadabustlihatadeher—whensheglancedatherselfinthefull-lengthirror—catchherbreath.thebreastswereasfakeasmonicasholes’identity.theywereadeoflatexandhadbeenboughtincopenhagenwherethetransvestitesshopped.
shewasreadyforbattle.
justafter9:00shewalkedtwoblockstothevenerableziertalhotel,wheresheedarooinmonicasholes’nae.shegaveageneroustiptoaboywhocarrieduphersuitcase.thesuitewasasallone,costing22,000kronoraday.shehadeditforonenight.whenshewasaloneshetookalookaround.shehadadazzlingviewoflakezurich,whichdidn’tinterestherintheleast.butshedidspendclosetofiveinutesexainingherselfintheirror.shesawatotalstranger.big-bustedmonicasholesinablondepage-boywig,wearingoreake-upthanlisbethsalanderdreaedofusinginawholeonth.shelooked…different.
at9:30shehadbreakfastinthehotelbar:twocupsofcoffeeandabagelwithja.thecostwas210kronor.arethesepeoplesoftinthehead？
