第 11 部分阅读
“aordingtothecontract,youdon’thaveto.allitasksisthatyoudoyourbest.ifyoufail,thenit’sgod’swill,or—ifyoudon’tbelieveinhi—it’sfate.”
blokvistsighed.hewasfeelingoreandoreunfortableandwantedtoendthisvisittohedeby,butherelented.
“allright,let’shearit.”
“iwantyoutoliveandworkhereinhedebyforayear.iwantyoutogothroughtheinvestigativereportonharriet’sdisappearanceonepageatatie.iwantyoutoexaineeverythingwithneweyes.iwantyoutoquestionalltheoldconclusionsexactlythewayaninvestigativereporterwould.iwantyoutolookforsoethingthatiandthepoliceandotherinvestigatorsayhaveissed.”
“you’reaskingetosetasideylifeandcareertodevoteyselfforawholeyeartosoethingthat’sapletewasteoftie.”
vangersiled.“astoyourcareer,weightagreethatfortheoentit’ssoewhatonhold.”
blokvisthadnoanswertothat.
“iwanttobuyayearofyourlife.giveyouajob.thesalaryisbetterthananyofferyou’llevergetinyourlife.iwillpayyou200,000kronoraonth—that’s2.4illionkronorifyouaeptandstaythewholeyear.”
blokvistwasastonished.
“ihavenoillusions.thepossibilityyouwillsueedisinial,butifagainstalloddsyoushouldcracktheysterytheni’offeringabonusofdoublepayent,or4.8illionkronor.let’sbegenerousandrounditofftofiveillion.”
vangerleanedbackandcockedhishead.
“icanpaytheoneyintoanybankaountyouwish,anywhereintheworld.youcanalsotaketheoneyincashinasuitcase,soit’suptoyouwhetheryouwanttoreporttheiothetaxauthorities.”
“thisis…nothealthy,”blokviststaered.
“whyso？”vangersaidcally.“i’eighty-twoandstillinfullpossessionofyfaculties.ihavealargepersonalfortune；icanspenditanywayiwant.ihavenochildrenandabsolutelynodesiretoleaveanyoneytorelativesidespise.i’veadeylastwillandtestaent；i’llbegivingthebulkofyfortuotheworldwildlifefund.afewpeoplewhoareclosetoewillreceivesignificantaounts—includinganna.”
blokvistshookhishead.
“trytounderstande,”vangersaid.“i’aanwho’sgoingtodiesoon.there’sohingintheworldiwanttohave—andthat’sananswertothisquestionthathasplaguedeforhalfylife.idon’texpecttofindtheanswer,butidohaveresourcestoakeonelastattept.isthatunreasonable？ioweittoharriet.andioweittoyself.”
“you’llbepayingeseveralillionkronorfornothing.allineedtodoissignthecontractandthentwiddleythubsforayear.”
“youwouldn’tdothat.onthecontrary—you’llworkharderthanyou’veeverworkedinyourlife.”
“howcanyoubesosure？”
“becauseicanofferyousoethingthatyoucan’tbuyforanyprice,butwhichyouwantorethananythingintheworld.”
“andwhatwouldthatbe？”
vanger’seyesnarrowed.
“icangiveyouhans-erikwennerstr？.icanprovethathe’saswindler.hehappened,thirty-fiveyearsago,tobeginhiscareerwithe,andicangiveyouhisheadonaplatter.solvetheysteryandyoucanturnyourdefeatincourtintothestoryoftheyear.”
chapter7
friday,january3
erikasethercoffeecuponthetableandstoodbythewindowlookingoutattheviewofgalastan.itwas9:00intheorning.allthesnowhadbeenwashedawaybytherainovernewyear’s.
“i’vealwayslovedthisview,”shesaid.“anapartentlikethiswouldakeegiveuplivinginsaltsj？baden.”
“you’vegotthekeys.youcanoveoverfroyourupper-classreserveanytieyouwant,”blokvistsaid.heclosedthesuitcaseandputitbythefrontdoor.
bergerturnedandgavehiadisbelievinglook.“youcan’tbeserious,mikael,”shesaid.“we’reinourworstcrisisandyou’repackingtogoandliveintjottahejti.”
“hedestad.acoupleofhoursbytrain.andit’snotforever.”
“itightaswellbeulanbator.don’tyouseethatitwilllookasifyou’reslinkingoffwithyourtailbetweenyourlegs？”
“that’spreciselywhatiadoing.besides,ihavetodosoegaoltietoo.”
christermalwassittingonthesofa.hewasunfortable.itwasthefirsttiesincetheyfoundedmillenniuthathehadseenbergerandblokvistinsuchdisagreeent.overalltheyearstheyhadbeeninseparable.soetiestheyhadfuriousclashes,buttheirarguentswerealwaysaboutbusinessatters,andtheywouldinvariablyresolveallthoseissuesbeforethey
5
huggedeachotherandwentbacktotheircorners.ortobed.lastautunhadnotbeenfun,andnowitwasasifagreatgulfhadopenedupbetweenthe.malwonderedifhewaswatchingthebeginningoftheendofmillenniu.
“idon’thaveachoice,”blokvistsaid.“wedon’thaveachoice.”
hepouredhiselfacoffeeandsatatthekitchentable.bergershookherheadandsatdownfacinghi.
“whatdoyouthink,christer？”shesaid.
hehadbeenexpectingthequestionanddreadingtheoentwhenhewouldhavetotakeastand.hewasthethirdpartner,buttheyallknewthatitwasblokvistandbergerwhoweremillenniu.theonlytietheyaskedhisadvicewaswhentheycouldnotagree.
“honestly,”malsaid,“youbothknowperfectlywellitdoesn’tatterwhatithink.”
heshutup.helovedakingpictures.helovedworkingwithgraphics.hehadneverconsideredhiselfanartist,butheknewhewasadanedgooddesigner.ontheotherhand,hewashelplessatintrigueandpolicydecisions.
bergerandblokvistlookedateachotheracrossthetable.shewascoolandfurious.hewasthinkinghard.
thisisn’tanarguent,malthought.it’sadivorce.
“ok,letepresentycaseonelasttie,”blokvistsaid.“thisdoesnoteani’vegivenuponmillenniu.we’vespenttoouchtieworkingourheartsoutforthat.”
“butnowyouwon’tbeattheoffice—christerandiwillhavetocarrytheload.can’tyouseethat？you’retheonearchingintoself-iposedexile.”
“that’sthesecondthing.ineedabreak,erika.i’notfunctioninganyore.i’burnedout.apaidsabbaticalinhedestadightbeexactlywhatineed.”
“thewholethingisidiotic,mikael.youightaswelltakeajobinacircus.”
“iknow.buti’goingtoget2.4illionforsittingonybacksideforayear,andiwon’tbewastingytie.that’sthethirdthing.roundonewithwennerstr？isover,andheknockedeout.roundtwohasalreadystarted—he’sgoingtotrytosinkmillenniuforgoodbecauseheknowsthatthestaffherewillalwaysknohathe’sbeenupto,foraslongastheagazineexists.”
“iknohathe’sdoing.i’veseenitintheonthlyadsalesfiguresforthelastsixonths.”
“that’sexactlywhyihavetogetoutoftheoffice.i’likearedragwavingathi.he’sparanoidasfarasi’concerned.aslongasi’here,he’lljustkeeponing.noehav. repareourselvesforroundthree.ifwe’regoingtohavetheslightestchanceagainstwennerstr？,wehavetoretreatandworkoutawholenewstrategy.wehavetofindsoethingtohaerhiwith.that’llbeyjobthisyear.”
“iunderstandallthat,”bergersaid.“sogoaheadandtakeaholiday.goabroad,lieonabeachforaonth.checkoutthelovelifeonthecostabrava.relax.goouttosandhanandlookatthewaves.”
“andwheniebacknothingwillbedifferent.wennerstr？isgoingtocrushmillenniuunlessheisappeasedbyyhavingstooddown.youknowthat.theonlythingwhichightotherwise. hiisifwegetsoethingonhithatwecanuse.”
“andyouthinkthat’swhatyouwillfindinhedestad？”
“icheckedthecuttings.wennerstr？didworkatthevangerpanyfro1969to1972.hewasinanageentandwasresponsibleforstrategicplaceents.heleftinahurry.whyshouldweruleoutthepossibilitythathenrikvangerdoeshavesoethingonhi？”
“butifwhathedidhappenedthirtyyearsago,it’sgoingtobehar. roveittoday.”
“vangerproisedtosetoutindetailwhatheknows.he’sobsessedwiththisissinggirl—itseestobetheonl
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