Chapter 11 Chapter Eleven

Blomkvist took extra care not to be followed as he walked from the Millennium offices early Friday morning to the Lunda Road area where Salander's old apartment was located.He had to go to Gothenburg to see Giddy, and the question was how to avoid being detected or leaving traces.He decided not to take the train because he didn't want to use a credit card.Normally he would borrow a car from Erica, but that was no longer possible, and he thought about asking Kertesz or someone else to rent a car for him, but that would leave clues. At last he thought of the obvious solution.He first picked up the money at the ATM on Yot Road.He had the keys to Salander's burgundy Honda, which had been parked outside her Ronda Road apartment complex since March.He adjusted his seat, checked that the fuel tank was still half full, and then set off on the E4 highway via the Liriye Island Bridge.

At 2:50, he parked his car in an alley on the boulevard in Gothenburg, and went in for a delayed lunch at the first cafe he saw.At 4:10, he took the tram to Anyeri. After getting off in the urban area, it took him 20 minutes to find Jidi's residence, about 10 minutes later than the agreed time. Giddy came to open the door, shook hands with Blomkvist and invited him into the simply decorated living room.He walked with a limp, and asked Blomkvist to sit down. There were a dozen or so framed pictures on the cabinet next to the seat, and Blomkvist looked at them one by one. "My family," said Giddy.

He spoke with such a thick accent that Blomkvist suspected he would fail the language test suggested by the Swedish People's Party. "Are these your brothers?" "On the left are my two brothers, who were killed by Saddam in the 1980s. In the middle is my father. My two uncles were killed by Saddam in the 1990s, and my mother died in 2000. My All three sisters are alive, two live in Syria and the youngest is in Madrid." Kitty poured Turkish coffee. "Baksh wants me to say hello to you on his behalf." "Bakshi said you wanted to ask me to do something, but didn't say what it was. I have to tell you now that I will never do anything illegal, and I dare not get involved in something like that."

"What I'm asking you to do is absolutely legal, but very unusual. The work itself will last for weeks, be done every day, but will only take you a few minutes at a time. I'll pay you a thousand crowns a week, The money is given directly and not reported to the tax authorities.” "I see. What do you want me to do?" "You have a job at Sogenska Hospital—six days a week, if I'm not mistaken—in charge of cleaning the C-ward area of ​​the ICU." Giddy nodded. "What I want you to do is this." Blomkvist leaned forward and began to explain his plan.

Prosecutor Extron studied the visitor.This was his third meeting with Superintendent Newstrom, whose wrinkled face was framed by short gray hair.Newstrong first came to him a few days after Pottin was killed.He produced his ID for working for the NSA, and they had a long, hushed conversation. "One thing you must understand: I am in no way trying to influence your every move or the way you do things. I also want to emphasize that no matter what the circumstances, you must not publish the information I give you." Newstrong said. "I see." Honestly, Extron didn't quite get it, but he didn't want to look stupid by asking too many questions.All he knew was that Pottin's (Zarachenko) death was a case that had to be handled with extreme caution, and that Neustrom's visit, although endorsed by the highest levels of the NSA, was done in secret.

"This is absolutely a matter of life and death." Neustrom said straight to the point: "As far as the secret police are concerned, everything related to Zarachenko is top secret. I can tell you that he is a defector. The operatives of the unit were also key figures in Russia's offensive against Western Europe in the 1970s." "That's clearly what Millennium's Blomkvist said." "In this case, Blomkvist was right. As a reporter, he stumbled upon one of the most secretive operations ever undertaken by the Swedish Ministry of Defense." "He will make this information public."

"Of course. He represents the media. There are a lot of media regardless of their advantages and disadvantages. We live in a democratic country, so naturally we cannot influence media reports. But the issue in this case is about Zarachenko, and Blomkvist only Knows part of the truth, and most of the rest of what he thinks he knows is wrong." "I understand." "What Blomkvist doesn't understand is that once the truth about Zarachenko is exposed, the Russians will soon find out our informants and sources in Russia. Those who risk their lives for democracy will probably be killed .”

"But isn't Russia a democracy now? I mean, if it was under the Communist Party..." "That's an illusion. We're talking about ex-Soviet spies — no regime in the world tolerates that, even after years. And some of them continue to provide intelligence." In fact, there is no such intelligence agent, but it is impossible for Extron to know, so he can only listen to Newstrom's words.Knowing this one of the most confidential information in Sweden—of course, it cannot be included in the record—he couldn't help feeling honored, and even a little surprised that Swedish intelligence agents could go deep into the Russian army as Neustrom said. Fang, and he knows very well that this kind of information must not be disseminated.

"When I was ordered to contact you, we conducted an extensive investigation on your background." Newstrom added. In order to seduce someone, one must discover his weakness.Prosecutor Extron's weakness is his conviction of his own importance.He was just like everyone else and liked to hear a good word.The trick is to make him feel like he's a one-in-a-million talent. "We're sure you're highly respected in the police ... and certainly in politics." Extron looked smug.And since unnamed politicians have so much confidence in him, it's a hint that they'll be grateful if he plays his cards right.

"Simply put, it is my task to provide you with the necessary background information in as confidential a manner as possible. You must understand that this matter has become unbelievably complicated. On the one hand, a preliminary investigation has been undertaken for which you are responsible. Regardless It’s not the government or the NSA or anyone else who can interfere with how you do your case, your job is to get to the bottom of the truth and bring the guilty to court. That’s one of the most important functions of a democracy.” Extron nodded sympathetically. "If the whole truth about Zarachenko is leaked, it will be a catastrophe for the country."

"So what is your purpose in coming to me?" "First of all, to let you know this sensitive situation. I don't think Sweden has been exposed to such a dangerous situation since the end of the Second World War. In a way, it may be said that the fate of Sweden is in your hands gone." "Who is your boss?" "Unfortunately, I cannot name anyone involved in this case, but I can say that I have been ordered at the highest level." God, it was the order given to him by the government.But he cannot say otherwise, which would spark a political storm. Newstrong realizes that Extron has taken the bait. "However, I can provide you with information. I am authorized to make my own judgment as to what materials I want to show you, some of which are top secret documents of the state." "I know." "That is to say, if you have a problem, no matter what kind of problem, you should tell me. You can't turn to other people in the National Security Bureau, you can only turn to me. My task is to guide you out of this maze. Conflict, we also need to help each other find a solution.” "I understand. Then I should be very grateful to you and your colleagues for their willingness to help me and make things run more smoothly." "We want the judicial process to proceed as usual, even though the circumstances are difficult." "Very well, I assure you that I will take the most cautious attitude. After all, this is not the first time I have handled top secret information." "Yes, we know very well." Extron asked a dozen questions, which Newstrom took care to note down, and then answered as best he could.His third visit will answer some of the questions Extron raised last time, the most important of which is: What is the truth about the report Bjork wrote in 1991? "That matter is very serious." Newstrom looked worried. "Since this report came out, we've had a team of analysts working around the clock trying to figure out what's going on, and it's almost conclusive. The results are very unpleasant." "I can imagine. The report claimed that the secret police and psychiatrist Taylor Pollyan had teamed up to send Salander to a mental institution." "It would be great if that's the case." Newstrom showed a faint smile. "I do not understand." "If the whole thing is just like this, it is very simple, then it means that there is a crime, and you can just prosecute it directly. The difficulty is that this report does not match the other reports in our file." Newstrom took out a blue Lecture folder opened. "This is the report Bjork wrote in 1991. There are also the originals of the correspondence between him and Tyler Pollyan. The two versions are different." "Please explain." "Shockingly, Björk hanged himself. Probably because his deviant sexual behavior was about to become public. Blomkvist's magazine intended to expose him and leave him in deep despair before ending. own life." "This..." "The original report was about Salander's attempt to murder her father, Zarachenko, with a petrol bomb. The first thirty pages of the report found by Blomkvist matched the original. There was nothing remarkable about it, to be honest. Until the thirty A page where Björk draws conclusions and makes recommendations, and the difference emerges." "What difference?" "In the original text, Björk made five clear suggestions about low-key handling of the Zarachenko incident to the media and so on. This is a fact and there is no need to hide it. Björk proposed that Zarachenko go abroad for rehabilitation because He was badly burned, and stuff like that. Plus he suggested that Salander get the best psychiatric care." "I see……" "The problem is that someone subtly altered a few of the sentences. In a certain paragraph on page thirty-fourth, Björk seems to imply that since Salander has been labeled as insane, even if someone starts asking about Zarachenko, Her words will not be believed." "And that sentence was not in the original report." "Exactly. Björk's own report never hinted at anything like that. That alone would have been illegal, among other things. He was only enthusiastically proposing that she was clearly in need of care. In Blomkvist's version, It became a conspiracy." "May I see the original copy?" "Of course, but I'll have to take it with me when I go. Before you read it, I'd like to draw your attention to the appendix, which is the subsequent correspondence between Björk and Tyler Pollyan, almost all forged, and not It's just a small change, but a bold fabrication." "Fabrication?" "I think that's the only description that fits. The original shows that Tyler Polion was appointed by the District Court to perform a mental assessment on Salander. There's nothing unusual about it. Salander was twelve years old and tried to kill her father, It would be strange if no psychiatric evaluation was made at the end of this appalling event." "Yes." "If you were the prosecutor, I guess you would insist on a two-pronged approach, investigating the social and the spiritual aspects at the same time." "of course." "Even then, Tyler Pollian was a respected child psychiatrist, as well as a forensic psychiatrist. He was appointed to conduct a general investigation and conclude that the girl was mentally ill. It is not necessary to use their proper names." "No, no need..." "Tyler Polian wrote up the results in a report and sent it to Bjork, who forwarded it to the Magistrates Court, who ruled that Salander should be admitted to St. Stephen's for treatment. Blomkvist's version misses a The entire Tyler-Porian investigation. Replaced by Björk's correspondence with Tyler-Porrian, suggesting that Björk directed Tyler-Porrian to falsify the results of the psychiatric examination." "You mean it's a fabrication, a forgery?" "no doubt." "But who would benefit from fabricating such a thing?" Newstrom put down the report and frowned. "You're getting to the point when you ask this question." "the answer is……?" "No idea. Our analytics team is working really hard to find out." "Could some of it have been invented by Blomkvist?" Newstrom laughed. "Our first thought was the same, but it shouldn't be. We tend to think that it was faked a long time ago, maybe around the same time as the original report. The person who faked it was not only very knowledgeable, but also had access to the information that Bjork used. typewriter." "You mean..." "We don't know where Björk wrote the report, it could be in his home or his office or anywhere else. There are two possibilities we can think of. Maybe the forger was someone from a mental hospital or a forensic department, I don't know. Why would you want to involve Tyler Pollyan in a scandal. Otherwise someone within the secret police is making a fake for a very different purpose." "What could be the purpose?" "It happened in 1991. At that time, a Russian intelligence agent in the NSA may have discovered Zarachenko's whereabouts. We are currently reviewing a large number of old personal files." "But if it had been discovered by the KGB ... it should have leaked years ago." "You're right, but don't forget that was also a time when the USSR was collapsing and the KGB was disbanded. We don't know what went wrong, maybe the planned operation was put on hold. The KGB has always been good at forgery and leaks Disinformation." "But why would the KGB want to fake this?" "We don't know that either. But the most obvious purpose is to create a scandal for the Swedish government." Extron pouted. "So you're saying Salander's medical evaluation was correct?" "No. To put it bluntly, Salander is a complete lunatic. There is absolutely no doubt about it. The decision to send her to the hospital for treatment is 100% correct." "Toilet?" Marlene seemed to think that Kertesz was playing tricks on her. "Toilet," Kertesz said again. "You want to write an article about toilets? For Millennium?" Marlene couldn't help laughing.When I met him wandering in on Friday, I noticed that he couldn't hide his enthusiasm, exactly like a reporter who was writing an exclusive report. "Tell me about it." "It's really simple," says Kertesz. "By far the biggest industry in Sweden is construction, but even with Skåne Construction in London, it's basically impossible to outsource overseas. Anyway. Say, the house always has to be built in Sweden." "It's not news." "Yes, but here's what's new: the construction industry is light-years ahead of the rest of Sweden's industry in terms of competitiveness and efficiency. If Volvo were to make cars in the same way, the latest model might sell for a hundred or two million Krone. Most industries face the challenge of constantly reducing prices, but the construction industry is the opposite, the price per square meter continues to rise. The state has to subsidize it with taxpayers' money, so that the price is not so high that no one wants." "Is there any news here?" "Wait a minute, it's complicated. Assuming the price curve for burgers hasn't changed since the seventies, a Big Mac now costs about a hundred and fifty crowns or more. Plus how much for fries and coke , I won’t guess, but I’m afraid I can’t afford it with my salary at Millennium. Who in this room would go to McDonald’s and buy a 100-kroner hamburger?” No one answered. "It's understandable. But when NCC Construction used several pieces of iron sheets to form square compartments for rent in Gosaga in the Liding district of Stockholm, the monthly rent for a three-bedroom apartment was 10,000 to 12,000 kroner. Who can afford such a high rent?" "I can't afford it," Monica said. "Of course you can't afford it. But you already live in a one-bedroom apartment next to Dan Vickers Durr, which your father bought for you twenty years ago, and if you're going to sell it, you should be able to sell it for a hundred and fifty One hundred thousand. But what about a twenty-year-old who wants to move out to live by himself? They can’t afford it. So they have to be second or third landlords, or stay at home with their mother until retirement.” "So what does this have to do with the toilet?" Krist asked. "That's about it. The question is why are apartments so expensive? Because the people who commissioned the building didn't know how to set the price. Simply put, a developer approached Scania and asked how much it would cost to build a hundred apartments Money. Scania did the math, and told them that it would cost about 500 million kroner, that is, how much kroner per square meter. If you want to move in, you have to spend 10,000 kroner a month. But the difference from McDonald's is that , you really have no choice but to have a place to live. So you have to pay the market rate." "Kertesz, my dear...please get to the point." "That's the point! Why do you have to pay 10,000 kroner a month to live in those crappy houses in Hammarbyhann? Because the construction company doesn't care if you want to keep the price down. The customer has to pay anyway. Building materials are one of the main costs. The buying and selling of building materials must go through wholesalers, who also set their own prices, because there is not much competition, so in Sweden, the retail price of a bathtub is 5,000 kroner, while the same bathtub from the same manufacturer only sells for 2,000 kroner in Germany. No amount of extra cost can explain the price difference." The people sitting around have begun to complain in low voices impatiently. "The construction cost mission of the government organization that started operating in the late 1990s had a report with a lot of relevant information written in it, but there was no progress after that. No one went to the construction company to report that the price was unreasonable, and the buyer happily paid the seller. The price that is charged, the final burden falls on the renter or the taxpayer." "Kertesz, where's the toilet?" "After the construction cost delegation wrote the report, only some local changes occurred, mainly in the outskirts of Stockholm. Some buyers were fed up with expensive construction prices. For example, the Karlskrona House, they bought the building materials themselves, and built a larger Houses that are cheaper than others. The Swedish Chamber of Commerce and Industry has also joined the fray. They think that the price of building materials is ridiculous, so they have been trying to make it easier for those companies to buy products of the same quality but cheaper. As a result, last year’s construction in Oversiu There was also a small conflict at the trade show, because the Swedish Chamber of Commerce brought a Thai man, and he sold toilets for 500 kroner." "The results of it?" "His main competitor is a Swedish wholesale company called Vitavala. They sell pure Swedish toilets at a price of 1,700 crowns. Smart urban buyers began to scratch their heads, thinking that since they can be used for five You can buy a similar toilet from Thailand with a hundred crowns, so why spend seventeen thousand?" "Maybe the quality is better?" Rota said. "No, exactly the same." "Thailand." Christ said, "It seems that there are child labor and so on, so the price is low." "That's not the case," said Kertesz. "Most of the industries that use child labor in Thailand are the textile industry and the gift industry, and of course there are child lovers. The United Nations pays special attention to child labor. I also checked this company. It is a well-known manufacturing company. It’s a large, modern, reputable plumbing company.” "Okay...but we are talking about low-wage countries now, which means that you are writing this article to imply that the Swedish industry cannot compete with the Thai industry, and that Swedish workers should be fired, and factories here should be closed, all imported from Thailand. You can't pass the trade union federation at all." Kertesz listened, a smile bloomed on his face, and he leaned back, his smug expression was a bit ridiculous. "Wrong again," he said. "Guess where Vittavala's seventeen thousand toilet is made?" No one said anything. "Vietnam," Kertesz said. "Are you kidding me?" Marlene said. "They've been making toilets there for at least ten years. Swedish workers were knocked out in the nineties." "Damn it!" "Now comes the important point. If it is imported directly from a factory in Vietnam, the price is about 390 crowns. Guess what explains the price difference between Thailand and Vietnam?" "Don't tell me it's..." "Exactly. Vitavala is subcontracted to a company called Fengsu Industry. They have been listed by the United Nations as a company using child labor and have been under investigation since at least 2001. However, most of the workers They're all criminals." Marlene finally laughed out loud. "That's great, that's great. You'll be a great reporter when you grow up. How long will it take?" "Two weeks. I have a ton of international trade stuff to check, and I need a bad guy in the story, so I'm going to see who the owners are in Vittawara." "Then is there time to publish it in the June issue?" "no problem." Boblanski listened impassively to Prosecutor Extron.Forty minutes into the meeting, Boblanski had a strong urge to grab the copy of The Laws of the Kingdom of Sweden on the edge of the prosecutor's desk and throw it in his face.He thought to himself, what would be the consequences if he acted impulsively?In addition to definitely making headlines in the evening papers, he was also likely to be charged with injury, so he drove the thought away.The biggest characteristic of civilized human beings is that they cannot succumb to this impulse, no matter how provocative their opponents are.Of course, whenever Inspector Boblanski was called upon, it was usually someone who was overwhelmed by the urge. "I'll take that as a deal," Exstrong said. "No, we haven't reached an agreement," Boblanski replied, pulling himself up from his side. "But the preliminary investigation is your responsibility." Muttering to himself, he turned into the corridor, calling both Anderson and Maudy on his way back to his office.They were the only colleagues he could have this afternoon, and it was unfortunate that Holmber had decided to take a fortnight's leave at this time. "Come to my office," Boblanski said, "and get some coffee." When all three were seated, Boblanski looked at his notes from the meeting with Extron. "According to the current situation, Salander was originally wanted for several murders. Our preliminary investigation director has withdrawn all relevant charges against her. As far as we are concerned, she is no longer part of the preliminary investigation." "In any case, this can be considered progress." Modi said. Anderson remained silent as usual. "I dare not say that." Boblanski replied, "Salander is still suspected of serious injury in the Staller Hermann and Gosseberga incidents, but those investigations have nothing to do with us. We'll have to do our best to find Niedermann and investigate the burial caves in Nekvaan Forest. But then again, Extron will definitely prosecute Salander, the case has been transferred to Stockholm, and he has ordered a new investigation." "Really?" said Maud. "Guess who's going to investigate Salander?" Boblanski said. "Probably the worst one." "Fast is back at work, and he will assist Extron." "It's too much! Fast is not suitable for investigating any cases related to Salander." "I know, but Extron has a good reason. How long has Fast been on sick leave...well... he broke down in April, and for him this case should be the easiest and easiest to handle ideal." No one said anything. "In short, I will hand over all the information about Salander to him this afternoon." "The whole thing about Bjork, the Secret Police, and the 1991 report..." "...will be handled by Fast and Extron." "I don't like it," Maud said. "I don't like it either. But Extron is the boss, and he has high-level backers. In other words, our job is to find the murderer. Anderson, how is the situation now?" Anderson shook his head. "Niderman seems to have evaporated. I have to admit that I have been a police officer for so many years, and I have never encountered such a thing. We have not received any tip-offs, and no one on the Internet knows him or knows where he may have gone. " "It sounds unbelievable," Moody said, "but he's wanted for the murder of a police officer in Gothabaga, the serious injury of another officer, the attempted murder of Salander, the kidnapping of the dental nurse Casperson. and injuries, and the murders of Duggar and Mia. There was clear forensic evidence in each case." "Helps a little at least. What about the finance manager case at the Sulfur Lake Motorcycle Club?" "Eronson, and his girlfriend, Lena Nygren. There are fingerprints and DNA on Yeronson's body. Niederman must have bled a lot from his knuckles when he beat someone up." "Any news from the Sulfur Lake Motorcycle Club?" "Because Landing continues to be detained, waiting for the hearing of Miriam's kidnapping case, the club has been taken over by Niminan. There are rumors that Niminan offered a huge reward for finding out Niederman's whereabouts." "That's even more strange. If all the gangsters are looking for him, why can't they find him? What about Ye Langsen's car?" "Caspersen's car was found at Yeronsen's residence. Niederman must have changed the car. But there is no clue about the car he drove away." "So we have to ask three questions: first, is Niedermann still hiding in Sweden? Second, if so, with whom? Third, has he absconded abroad? What do you think?" "There's no indication he's gone abroad, but that's really the most logical route." "If it's gone, where did he leave the car?" Both Maud and Anderson shook their heads.If the police want to find someone, nine times out of ten it is not difficult.Just start a series of logical inquiries: Who are your friends?Who are the inmates?Where does the girlfriend live?Who are your drinking buddies?Where was the last time you used your phone?where is the carFollow the line to the end, and the fugitive usually turns up. The problem with Niederman is that he has no friends, no girlfriend, no cell phone records, and has never been to jail. Investigative efforts have focused on finding Yeronson's car, which is presumed to have been driven off by Niederman.They thought it would only be a few days before the car would show up, probably in a parking lot somewhere in Stockholm.But so far there is no trace. "If he fled the country, where would he go?" "He is a German citizen, and it is reasonable to go to Germany." "He seems to have lost touch with his old friends in Hamburg." Anderson shook his hand. "If he's planning to go to Germany...why drive to Stockholm? Shouldn't it be Malmö and the bridge to Copenhagen, or go to some ferry terminal?" "I know. Officer Erlander in Gothenburg focused their tracking efforts in that direction as early as day one. The Danish police have received information about Yeronsen's car, and we've established that he didn't take any ferries." "But he did drive to Stockholm and Sulfur Lake, kill the club's financial manager and - presumably - take an undisclosed sum with him. What's next for him?" "He has to leave Sweden," Boblanski said. "The most likely way is to take a ferry across the Baltic Sea. But Yeronsen and his girlfriend were killed in the middle of the night on April 9th, and Niedermann could have taken the ferry the next morning." Ferry. We did not receive the report until about sixteen hours after their deaths, and then issued a full notice to the vehicle." "If he had taken the morning ferry, Yeronson's car would have stopped at some port," Maud said. "Perhaps the reason why he couldn't find the car was that Niederman drove north through Haparanda. It's a long circuit along the Gulf of Bothnia, but you can reach Finland in sixteen hours." "That's true, but you have to leave your car shortly after entering Finland, so you should be discovered by now." They sat in silence, speechless.Finally Boblanski got up and went to stand by the window. "Could he find a place to hide for a while, like a summer house or..." "I don't think it's going to be a summer cottage. Every cottage owner is going to check on the condition of the house at this time of year." "Nor would he venture anywhere with any association with the Sulfur Lake Motorcycle Club. They're the last people he wants to see." "The entire underworld should be ruled out... Is there a girlfriend we don't know about?" They can guess, but have no basis in fact. After Anderson got off work, Maud went back to Boblanski's office and knocked on the doorpost.He beckoned her in. "Can I have a few minutes with you?" she asked. "What's wrong?" "Salander. I don't like Exstrong and Fast and the new trial thing. You read Bjork's report, I read Bjork's report, Salander was shot in 1991 When it came to illegal detention, Extron also knew about it. What the hell is he doing?" Boblanski took off his reading glasses and stuffed them into his breast pocket. "I have no idea." "You have no idea at all?" "Exstrom says Björk's report and his correspondence with Tyler Polian is a forgery." "Nonsense. If it was fake, why didn't he say it when Björk was arraigned?" "Exstrom said Björk would not discuss it because it was top secret. I got scolded for moving too soon to bring him in for questioning." "I started to have deep doubts about Extron." "He has pressure from all sides." "You can't use that as an excuse." "Modi, the truth is not our patent. Extron said that he had evidence to prove that the report was false, and in fact there was no report with that number. He also said that the forgery was very successful, and the content was cleverly mixed with the truth. Fake." "I need to know which part is true and which part is false," Maudy said. "The outlines of the whole thing were pretty accurate. Zarachenko was Salander's father, and a bastard who would beat her mother. Their problems were common—the mother didn't want to press charges, so it went on for a few years Later, Salander tried to kill her father, and Bjork was ordered to investigate the incident. He and Tyler Pollyan had a letter, but the format of the letter we saw was obviously forged. Tyler Pollyan made a routine for Salander A psychiatric evaluation determined that she was mentally unstable. A certain prosecutor decided not to investigate further. Salander needed treatment and was sent to St. Stephen's." "If it's a forgery... who did it and why?" Boblanski shrugged. "As far as I know, Extron will have Salander undergo another thorough examination." "I can't accept that." "It's not our case anymore." "And it's Faster who took over. Boblanski, if these bastards dare to do anything messy to Salander again, I'll go to the media." "No, Maud, you won't. One, the report is out of our hands, so you can't prove your case. You'll be paranoid, and your career will be over." "I still have that report." Modi whispered. "I made a copy for Anderson, but before I could give it to him, the Attorney General confiscated all the information." "If you leak this report, not only will you be fired, but you will also be guilty of serious malfeasance." Maud sat for a moment in silence, her eyes fixed on her boss. "Maudie, promise me not to do this." "No, I can't say yes. There's something very morbid about this whole thing." "You're right, it's very sick. But we don't know who the opponent is, and we can't take any action for now." Maud turned his head to one side. "Will you take any action?" "I'm not going to discuss this with you. Trust me. It's Friday night, rest up and go home. And... this conversation never happened." Nicholas Adamson, a security guard from Sekudas Security Company, is studying hard for the exam in three weeks.It was one-thirty on a Saturday afternoon, and he heard the slow whir of the floor polisher and saw the limping, dark-skinned immigrant cleaner.The man always nodded politely, but never smiled at his jokes.Adamson watched as he took out a bottle of cleaner, sprayed it on the service desk twice, wiped it with a rag, and then picked up a mop to mop the corners that the waxer could not clean.So the guard re-immersed himself in the book of domestic economics and continued to study. It took ten minutes for the cleaner to reach the end of the corridor where Adamson was.They nodded to each other.Adamson stood up and asked him to sweep the floor around the chair that stood outside Salander's door.I've seen this man almost every day since I was posted here, but I can't remember his name—some sort of strange foreign name—but Adamson doesn't feel the need to check his ID.First, the nigger couldn't clean the prisoner's room—there were two cleaning ladies in the morning, and second, he didn't think a cripple posed any threat. After the cleaner finished cleaning the corridor, he opened the door of the room next to Salander.Adamson glanced at him, but it was just as usual, a cleaning tool room.Over the next five minutes, he empties the bucket, cleans the brushes, and refills the plastic bag for the trash can into the cleaning cart.Finally push the cleaning cart into the gadget room. Giddy had already noticed the guards in the corridor.It's a blond young man, usually there two or three days a week, reading.A part-time security guard, a part-time student.Like a brick in the wall, he sees his surroundings clearly. Giddy was curious about what Adamson would do if someone tried to enter the room of the woman named Salander. He also wondered what exactly Blomkvist was trying to do.他在报上看过关于这名特立独行的记者的报道，也知道和一一C病房区这个女人有关，本以为他会要他偷带东西给她。但他无法进入她的房间，甚至从未见过她。而无论他原本预期什么，总之都不对。 这项工作，怎么看都不违法。他透过门缝看着亚当森，只见他又埋头读起书来。确定走廊四下无人后，吉第从工作服口袋掏出索尼爱立信Z600手机。他看过广告，这款手机要价约三千五百克朗，具有一切最新功能。 他又从口袋拿出一把螺丝起子，踮起脚尖，旋下靠莎兰德房间墙面一个通风口的白色圆盖。然后按布隆维斯特的吩咐，将手机尽可能地推入通风口，接着再将盖子重新旋上。 他只花了四十五秒钟。第二天花的时间会更短。他要做的是取出手机，换电池后将手机放回原位，并将使用过的电池带回家充电。 吉第要做的就是这些。 但这对莎兰德毫无帮助。她房内的墙面应该也有一个用螺丝旋紧的类似圆盖，但除非她有螺丝起子和梯子，否则永远也拿不到手机。 “我知道。”布隆维斯特当时说了：“不过她不需要拿到手机。” 吉第必须每天做这个动作，直到布隆维斯特告诉他不必再做为止。 光做这件事，每星期就能有一千克朗的酬劳直接入袋，而且工作结束后，手机就归他所有。 他当然知道布隆维斯特在打某种怪主意，却想不通会是什么。将一只手机放进上了锁的清洁工具室的通风口内，开了机却没连上线，这实在太疯狂，吉第怎么也想不出这有什么用。如果布隆维斯特想和病人取得联系，还不如买通某个护士偷偷将手机带进去给她。 但话说回来，他并不排斥帮布隆维斯特这个忙——这个忙可是一星期价值一千克朗呢。所以最好别多问。 约纳森回到贺加路住处时，看见一个男人拎着公文包，靠在他那栋公寓外的铁门上，不由得放慢脚步。那人看起来有点面熟。 “约纳森医师吗？”他问道。 "yes." “很抱歉在你住家外面的大马路上叨扰你。实在是因为我不想追到你工作的地方，但又得和你谈一谈。” “有什么事，还有请问你是？” “我叫布隆维斯特，麦可·布隆维斯特，是《千禧年》杂志社的记者。这事有关莉丝·莎兰德。” “喔，我认出你来了。是你打的紧急求救电话。她伤口上的绝缘胶带是你缠的吗？” "yes." “做得很好。不过我不和记者讨论我的病人，你得和其他人一样，去找索格恩斯卡医院的公关部。” “你误会了。我不是来探消息的，而且完全是以私人身份来找你。你什么都不必说，也不必告诉我任何信息。反而是我想告诉你一些事情。” 约纳森皱皱眉头。 “请听我把话说完。”布隆维斯特说：“我不是随便在路上找外科医生搭讪，而是真的有很重要的事要告诉你。能不能请你喝杯咖啡？” “先告诉我是关于什么事。” “关于莉丝的未来与幸福。我是她的朋友。” 约纳森心想，来者若不是布隆维斯特他是不会答应的。但此人备受瞩目，不太可能玩什么无聊的把戏。 “无论在什么情况下我都不会接受访问，也不会讨论病人的事。” “我完全了解。”布隆维斯特说。 约纳森于是陪着布隆维斯特到附近一家咖啡馆。 “首先，我不会在任何一篇文章中引述你的话，甚至不会提及你。至于对我而言，这番对话从未发生过。我来是想请你帮个忙，但我得解释原因，你才能决定帮或不帮。” “听起来不是什么好事。” “我只请你听我把话说完。你的职责是照顾莉丝的身心健康，而身为她的朋友，我也有同样责任。我没法直捣她的脑袋取出子弹，但我有另一项技能对她的幸福也一样重要。” "That is?" “我是个调查记者，我发现了她真正经历的事实。” "it is good." “我可以大略地告诉你，而你可以自己下结论。” "OK." “我还应该声明一下，莉丝的律师安妮卡——你应该已经见过——是我妹妹，也是我付钱请她为莉丝辩护。” "I see." “我显然无法请安妮卡帮这个忙，她不跟我谈论莉丝的事，她必须为她们俩的对话保密。我猜你已经在报上看过有关莉丝的报道。” 约纳森点点头。 “她被描写成精神病患者，还是个不正常的同性恋杀人狂。这全是胡说八道。莉丝不是精神病患者，她也许跟你我一样正常。至于她的性偏好与他人无关。” “如果我了解得没有错，这件案子已经改变了侦查方向。现在被追捕的杀人嫌犯是那个德国人。” “据我所知，尼德曼是个毫无道德良知的杀人犯。不过莉丝有敌人，有力又卑鄙的敌人。其中有些是秘密警察。” 约纳森愕然地看着布隆维斯特。 “莉丝十二岁那年，被送进乌普萨拉的儿童精神病院。为什么呢？因为秘密警察不计代价想要守住的一个秘密，被她揭开了。她的父亲札拉千科——也就是在你们医院被杀的波汀——是苏俄的叛逃者，是间谍，是冷战的遗物。他还年复一年地殴打莉丝的母亲。莉丝满十二岁时出手还击，趁父亲坐在车内，朝他丢掷了一颗汽油弹。她就是为此被关。” “我不懂。如果她企图杀死父亲，让她接受精神治疗当然是名正言顺。” “我的故事，我要发表的故事是秘密警察知道札拉千科会打妻子，他们知道莉丝受到什么刺激才做这种事，却仍选择保护札拉千科，只因为他能提供珍贵情报。于是他们伪造了诊断书，让莉丝非住院不可。” 约纳森满脸狐疑，布隆维斯特看了忍不住笑起来。 “一切细节我都可以提出证明，我还要赶在莉丝开庭的同时写出完整的叙述。相信我，这将会引起轩然大波。请你记得一件事，激怒莉丝的那番殴打让她母亲下半辈子都得住院。” “好，请说下去。” “我要揭发为秘密警察作恶，帮着将莉丝埋葬在精神病院的两个医生，要让他们得到应有的惩罚。其中一个还是德高望重的人。但我说过，我掌握了所有的证据。” “如果有医生卷入这种事，那真是整个医界之耻。” “我不认为有必要归罪于群体，这只和直接涉入的人有关。秘密警察也是一样。我绝对相信在秘密警察界也有优秀的人才，这只是一小部分的阴谋者。莉丝十八岁时，他们又再度想把她关进医院，这次没有成功，她反而有了监护人。不论什么时候，只要一开庭，他们就会再一次极尽所能地污蔑她。我或者应该说我妹妹安妮卡将会尽力让她获释，也让法院撤销她目前还存在的失能宣告。” "I see." “不过她需要弹药，这就是这项策略的背景。也许我应该再提一点，警局里有几个人其实是站在莉丝这边，但对她提起控诉的检察官却不然。总之，莉丝在出庭前需要帮助。” “可我不是律师。” “对，但你是莉丝的医生，你能见到她。” 约纳森眯起眼睛。 “我想请你帮忙的事不但违反医德，说不定也是违法。” "yes?" “但是就道德面而言，这么做是对的。她的宪法权利被那些理应保护她的人给剥夺了。我给你举个例子。莉丝不能会客、不能看报或与外界沟通。检察官还强制她的律师不得对外泄密，安妮卡遵守了规定。然而，检察官自己却是记者的主要消息来源，媒体才会不断写那些乱七八糟的报道。” “真是这样吗？” “比方说这则新闻吧。”布隆维斯特拿起一星期前的一份晚报。“调查小组内部的消息来源声称莉丝精神失常，导致这份晚报臆测她的精神状态。” “我读过这篇报道，全是胡说。” “这么说你不认为她是疯子。” “这点我不予置评。但我确实知道她没有作过精神状态评估。所以这篇文章是胡说。” “我可以确切地向你证明泄漏这项消息的人是一个名叫法斯特的警员，他在埃克斯壮检察官手下做事。” "Oh." “埃克斯壮会想方设法让审讯时禁止旁听，那么外人便无从得知也无法衡量对莉丝不利的证据。但更糟的是……因为莉丝遭检察官隔离，将无法作充分的准备为自己辩护。” “这不是应该由她的律师来做吗？” “如今你想必也推测到了，莉丝是个很奇特的人。我在无意中发现她的一些秘密，却不能告诉我妹妹。但莉丝应该可以选择开庭时要不要加以利用。” "I see." “为了让她能这么做，她需要这个。” 布隆维斯特将莎兰德的奔迈T3掌上电脑和一个充电器放在两人之间的桌上。 “这是莉丝的火药库中最重要的武器，非给她不可。” 约纳森难以置信地看着电脑。 “为什么不交给她的律师？” “因为只有莉丝知道如何取得证据。” 约纳森坐了好一会儿，还是没碰电脑。 “我来跟你说一两件有关泰勒波利安医师的事吧。”布隆维斯特说着从公文包抽出一个活页夹。 星期六晚上八点刚过，阿曼斯基离开办公室，徒步走到位于圣保罗街的索德区犹太会堂。他敲开门后自我介绍，开门的拉比本人请他入内。 “我和一个认识的人约在这里碰面。”阿曼斯基说。 “在楼上，我带你去。” 拉比给了他一顶小圆帽，阿曼斯基略一迟疑才戴上。他是在伊斯兰教家庭长大，戴着这个感觉很蠢。 包柏蓝斯基也戴着小圆帽。 “你好，阿曼斯基。谢谢你来。我向拉比借用一个房间，我们可以安静地谈谈。” 阿曼斯基坐到包柏蓝斯基对面。 “你这么神秘兮兮的，应该有特殊原因吧？” “我就不兜圈子了。我知道你是莎兰德的朋友。” 阿曼斯基点头承认。 “我需要知道你和布隆维斯特打算捏造什么来帮她。” “我们为什么要捏造什么呢？” “因为埃克斯壮检察官问了我十几次，你们米尔顿安保到底对莎兰德的案情调查知道多少。他不是随口问问，而是担心你们会爆出什么震撼弹……震撼媒体。” "I see." “既然埃克斯壮这么担心，就表示他知道或是怀疑你们在酝酿什么计划，否则至少是和某个心存怀疑的人谈过。” “某人？” “阿曼斯基，别耍把戏了。你知道莎兰德在九十年代初曾遭受司法不公的对待，我只怕一旦开庭又要旧事重演。” “你是民主国家的警察，如果你有这样的情报，就应该采取行动。” 包柏蓝斯基点点头。“我也正打算这么做。但问题是：怎么做？” “你说你想知道什么。” “我想知道你和布隆维斯特在打什么算盘。我猜你们不会只是坐在那里无所事事。” “事情很复杂。我怎么知道能不能信任你。” “布隆维斯特发现一份一九九一年的报告……” "I know." “我已经拿不到那份报告了。” “我也是。原本在布隆维斯特和他妹妹——也就是莎兰德现在的律师——手中的两份报告都不见了。” "Missing?" “有人闯入布隆维斯特住处偷走他那份，而安妮卡则是在哥德堡被人偷袭击倒在地，报告也被抢了。两件事都发生在札拉千科遇害那天。” 包柏蓝斯基沉默良久。 “为什么我们还没听到消息？” “布隆维斯特是这么说的：出版的好时机只有一个，坏时机却数不胜数。” “可是你们两个……他打算出版？” 阿曼斯基轻轻地点了点头。 “在哥德堡被偷袭，在斯德哥尔摩被闯空门。同一天。”包柏蓝斯基说道：“这表示我们的对手很有组织。” “我恐怕还得再提一下，我们知道安妮卡的电话遭到窃听。” “一大串的罪行。” “问题是：谁干的？” “我也很好奇。最可能还是秘密警察，他们有理由不让毕约克的报告曝光。可是阿曼斯基……我们现在说的是瑞典秘密警察，一个政府单位。我不敢相信他们会允许这种事发生，我甚至不相信他们有做这种事的技能。” “我自己都觉得难以消化，更别提还有人晃进索格恩斯卡医院，轰掉札拉千科的脑袋。在此同时，报告的作者毕约克也上吊了。” “所以你认为这一切背后有一只黑手？我认识哥德堡负责调查的警官埃兰德。他说所有的迹象都显示这起命案完全是一个生病的人一时冲动之举。我们彻底查过毕约克的住处，一切线索也都指向自杀。” “古尔博，七十八岁，罹患癌症，最近在接受忧郁症的治疗。我们的行动组长约翰·弗雷克伦查过他的背景。” "The results of it?" “他四十年代在卡尔斯克鲁纳当兵，后来研读法律，成了税务顾问。在斯德哥尔摩开了三十年的事务所，很低调，秘密客户……如果真有客户的话。一九九一年退休。一九九四年搬回老家拉赫尔姆。没什么值得注意的，只不过……” "Just what?" “只不过有一两个令人惊讶的细节。弗雷克伦到处都找不到古尔博的资历。任何报纸或专业期刊都没有提过他，也没有人能告诉我们他有哪些客户。就好像律师界从来没有这个人存在。” "what do you mean?" “秘密警察是很明显的关联。札拉千科是苏俄叛徒，除了秘密警察之外还有谁会照顾他？接下来是将莎兰德关进疗养院的共谋问题。现在又出现闯空门、偷袭和电话窃听。我个人并不认为秘密警察是幕后黑手。布隆维斯特称他们为'札拉千科俱乐部'，也就是一小群脱离蛰伏期、躲藏在国安局某个阴暗角落的冷战分子。” “那么我们该怎么办？”包柏蓝斯基问。