第 38 部分阅读
“it’sbleedinglikehell,butit’snotdangerous,”blokvistsaidbeforeshecouldask.
sheturnedandgotthefirst-aidkitfrothecupboard；itcontainedtwopacketsofelasticbandages,aosquitostick,andalittlerollofsurgicaltape.hepulledoffhisclothesanddroppedtheonthefloor；thenhewenttothebathroo.
thewoundonhisteplewasagashsodeepthathecouldliftupabigflapofflesh.itwasstillbleedinganditneededstitches,buthethoughtitwouldprobablyhealifhetapeditclosed.heranatowelunderthecoldtapandwipedhisface.
heheldthetowelagainsthisteplewhilehestoodundertheshowerandclosedhiseyes.thenheslaedhisfistagainstthetilesohardthathescrapedhisknuckles.fuckyou,whoeveryouare,hethought.i’goingtofindyou,andiwillgetyou.
whensalandertouchedhisarhejupedasifhehadhadanelectricshockandstaredatherwithsuchangerinhiseyesthatshetookastepback.shehandedhithesoapandwentbacktothekitchenwithoutaword.
heputonthreestripsofsurgicaltape.hewentintothebedroo,pulledonacleanpairofjeansandanewt-shirt,takingthefolderofprinted-outphotographswithhi.hewassofurioushewasalostshaking.
“stayhere,lisbeth,”heshouted.
hewalkedovertoceciliavanger’shouseandrangthedoorbell.itwashalfainutebeforesheopenedthedoor.
“idon’twanttoseeyou,”shesaid.thenshesawhisface,wherebloodwasalreadyseepingthroughthetape.
“letein.wehavetotalk.”
shehesitated.“wehavenothingtotalkabout.”
“wedonow,andyoucandiscussithereonthestepsorinthekitchen.”
blokvist’stonewassodeterinedthatceciliasteppedbackandlethiin.hesatatherkitchentable.
“whathaveyoudone？”shesaid.
“youclaithatydiggingforthetruthaboutharrietvangerissoefutileforofoupationaltherapyforhenrik.that’spossible,butanhouragosoeonebloodynearlyshotyheadoff,andlastnightsoeone—aybethesaehuourist—leftahorriblydeadcatonyporch.”
ceciliaopenedherouth,butblokvistcutheroff.
“cecilia,idon’tgiveashitaboutyourhang-upsorwhatyouworryaboutorthefactthatyousuddenlyhatethesightofe.i’llneverenearyouagain,andyoudon’thavetoworrythati’goingtobotheryouorrunafteryou.rightthisinuteiwishi’dneverheardofyouoranyoneelseinthevangerfaily.butirequireanswerstoyquestions.thesooneryouanswerthe,thesooneryou’llberidofe.”
“whatdoyouwanttoknow？”
“nuberone:wherewereyouanhourago？”
cecilia’sfacecloudedover.
“anhouragoiwasinhedestad.”
“cananyoneconfirwhereyouwere？”
“notthaticanthinkof,andidon’thavetoaounttoyou.”
“nubertwo:whydidyouopenthewindowinharriet’sroothedayshedisappeared？”
“what？”
“youhearde.foralltheseyearshenrikhastriedtoworkoutwhoopenedthewindowinharriet’srooduringthosecriticalinutes.everybodyhasdenieddoingit.soeoneislying.”
“andwhatinhellakesyouthinkitwase？”
“thispicture,”blokvistsaid,andflungtheblurryphotographontoherkitchentable.
ceciliawalkedovertothetableandstudiedthepicture.blokvistthoughthecouldreadshockonherface.shelookedupathi.hefeltatrickleofbloodrundownhischeekanddropontohisshirt.
“thereweresixtypeopleontheislandthatday,”hesaid.“andtwenty-eightofthewerewoen.fiveorsixofthehadshoulder-lengthblondehair.onlyoneofthosewaswearingalight-coloureddress.”
shestaredintentlyatthephotograph.
“andyouthinkthat’ssupposedtobee？”
“ifitisn’tyou,i’dlikeyoutotellewhoyouthinkitis.nobodyknewaboutthispicturebefore.i’vehaditforweeksandtriedtotalktoyouaboutit.iaybeanidiot,butihaven’tshowedittohenrikoranyoneelsebecausei’deathlyafraidofcastingsuspiciononyouordoingyouwrong.butidohavetohaveananswer.”
“you’llgetyouranswer.”sheheldoutthephotographtohi.“ididn’tgointoharriet’sroothatday.it’snoteinthepicture.ididn’thavetheslightestthingtodowithherdisappearance.”
shewenttothefrontdoor.
“youhaveyouranswer.nowpleasego.butithinkyoushouldhaveadoctorlookatthatwound.”
salanderdrovehitohedestadhospital.ittookonlytwostitchesandagooddressingtoclosethewound.hewasgivencortisonesalvefortherashfrothestingingtlesonhisneckandhands.
aftertheyleftthehospitalblokvistsatforalongtiewonderingwhetherheoughttogotothepolice.hecouldseetheheadlinesnow.“libeljournalistinshootingdraa.”heshookhishead.“let’sgohoe,”hesaid.
itwasdarkwhentheyarrivedbackathedebyisland,andthatsuitedsalanderfine.sheliftedasportsbagontothekitchentable.
“iborrowedthisstufffromiltonsecurity,andit’stieweadeuseofit.”
sheplantedfourbattery-operatedotiondetectorsaroundthehouseandexplainedthatifanyonecaecloserthantwentyfeet,aradiosignalwouldtriggerasallchirpingalarthatshesetupinblokvist’sbedroo.atthesaetie,twolight-sensitivevideocaerasthatshehadputintreesatthefrontandbackofthecabinwouldsendsignalstoapcla. comthatshesetinthecupboardbythefrontdoor.shecaouflagedthecaeraswithdarkcloth.
sheputathirdcaerainabirdhouseabovethedoor.shedrilledaholerightthroughthewallforthecable.thelenswasaiedattheroadandthepathfrothegatetothefrontdoor.ittookalow-resolutioniageeverysecondandstoredtheallontheharddriveofanotherpcla. cominthewardrobe.
thensheputapressure-sensitivedooratintheentrance.ifsoeoneanagedtoevadetheinfrareddetectorsandgotintothehouse,15-decibelsirenwouldgooff.salanderdeonstratedforhihowtoshutoffthedetectorswithakeytoaboxinthewardrobe.shehadalsoborrowedanight-visionscope.
“youdon’tleavealottochance,”blokvistsaid,pouringcoffeeforher.
“oneorething.noorejogginguntilwecrackthis.”
“believee,i’velostallinterestinexercise.”
“i’notjoking.thisayhavestartedoutasahistoricalystery,butwhatwithdeadcatsandpeopletryingtoblowyourheadoffwecanbesurewe’reonsoebody’strail.”
theyatedinnerlate.blokvistwassuddenlydeadtiredandhadasplittingheadache.hecouldhardlytalkanyore,sohewenttobed.
salanderstayedupreadingthereportuntil2:00.
chapter23
friday,july11
heawokeat6:00withthesunshiningthroughagapinthecurtainsrightinhisface.hehadavagueheadache,andithurtwhenhetouchedthebandage.salanderwasasleeponherstoachwithonearflungoverhi.helookeddownatthedragononhershoulderblade.
hecountedhertattoos.aswellasawasponherneck,shehadalooparoundoneankle,anotherlooparoundthebicepsofherleftar,achinesesybolonherhip,andaroseononecalf.
hegotoutofbedandpulledthecurtainstight.hewenttothebathrooandthenpaddedbacktobed,tryingtogetinwithoutwakingher.
acoupleofhourslateroverbreakfastblokvistsaid,“howarewegoingtosolvethispuzzle？”
“wesuupthefactswehave.wetrytofindore.”
“fore,theonlyquestionis:why？isitbecausewe’retryingtosolvetheysteryaboutharriet,orbecausewe’veuncoveredahithertounknownserialkiller？”
“thereustbeaconnection,”salandersaid.“ifharrietrealisedthattherewasaserialkiller,itcanonlyhavebeensoeonesheknew.ifwelookatthecastofcharactersinthesixties,therewereatleasttwodozenpossiblecandidates.todayhardlyanyoftheareleftexceptharaldvanger,whoisnotrunningaroundinthewoodsoffr？skogenatalostniy-threewithagun.everybodyiseithertoooldtobeofanydangertoday,ortooyoungtohavebeenaroundinthefifties.sowe’rebacktosquareone.”
“unlesstherearetwopeoplewhoarecollaborating.oneolderandoneyounger.”
“haraldandcecilia？idon’tthinkso.ithinkshewastellingthetruthwhenshesaidthatshewasn’tthepersoninthewindow.”
“thenwhowasthat？”
theyturnedonblokvist’siandspentthenexthourstudyingindetailonceagainallthepeoplevisibleinthephotographsoftheaidentonthebridge.
“icanonlyassuethateveryoneinthevillageusthavebeendownthere,watchingalltheexciteent.itwassepteber.mostofthearewearingjacketsorsweaters.onlyonepersonhaslongblondehairandalight-coloureddress.”
“ceciliavangerisinalotofthepictures.sheseestobeeverywhere.betweenthebuildingsandthepeoplewhoarelookingattheaident.hereshe’stalkingtoisabella.hereshe’sstandingnexttopastorfalk.hereshe’swithgregervanger,theiddlebrother.”
“waitainute,”blokvistsaid.“whatdoesgregerhaveinhishand？”
“soethingsquare-shaped.itlookslikeaboxofsoekind.”
“it’sahasselblad.sohetoohadacaera.”
theyscrolledthroughthephotographsoneoretie.gregerwasinoreofthe,thoughoftenblurry.inoneitcouldbeclearlyseenthathewasholdingasquare-shapedbox.
“ithinkyou’reright.it’sdefinitelyacaera.”
“whicheansthatwegoonanotherhuntforphotographs.”
“ok,butlet’sleavethatforaoent,”salandersaid.“leteproposeatheory.”
“goahead.”
“whatifsoeoneoftheyoungergenerationknowsthatsoeoneoftheoldergenerationisaserialkiller,buttheydon’twantitacknowledged.thefaily’shonourandallthatcrap.thatwouldeanthattherearetwopeopleinvolved,butnotthatthey’reinittogether.theurderercouldhavediedyearsago,whileourneesisjustwantsustodropthewholethingandgohoe.”
“butwhy,inthatcase,putautilatedcatonourporch？it’sanunistakablereferencetotheurders.”blokvisttappedharriet’sbible.“againaparodyofthelawsregardingburntofferings.”
salanderleanedbackandlookedupatthechurchasshequotedfrothebible.itwasasifsheweretalkingtoherself.
“thenheshallkillthebullbeforethelord；andaaron’ssonsthepriestsshallpresenttheblood,andtheyshallthrowthebloodroundaboutagainstthealtarthatisthedoorofthetentofeeting.andheshallflaytheburntofferingandcutiti. comieces.”
shefellsilent,awarethatblokvistwaswatchingherwithatenseexpression.heopenedthebibletothefirstchapterofleviticus.
“doyouknowversetwelvetoo？”
salanderdidnotreply.
“andheshall…”hebegan,noddingather.
“andheshallcutiti. comieces,withitsheadanditsfat,andthepriestshalllaytheinorderuponthewoodthatisonthefireuponthealtar.”hervoicewasice.
“andthenextverse？”
abruptlyshestoodup.
“lisbeth,youhaveaphotographiceory,”mikaelexclaiedinsurprise.“that’swhyyoucanreadapageoftheinvestigationintenseconds.”
herreactionwasalostexplosive.shefixedhereyesonblokvistwithsuchfurythathewasastounded.thenherexpressionchangedtodespair,andsheturnedonherheelandranforthegate.
“lisbeth,”heshoutedafterher.
shedisappeareduptheroad.
mikaelcarriedherputerinside,setthealar,andlockedthefrontdoorbeforehesetouttolookforher.hefoundhertwentyinuteslateronajettyatthearina.shewassittingthere,dippingherfeetinthewaterandsoking.sheheardhiingalongthejetty,andhesawhershouldersstiffen.he. compedacoupleofpacesaway.
“idon’tknohatidid,butididn’teantoupsetyou.”
hesatdownnexttoher,tentativelyplacingahandonhershoulder.
“please,lisbeth.talktoe.”
sheturnedherheadandlookedathi.
“there’snothingtotalkabout,”shesaid.“i’justafreak,that’sall.”
“i’dbeoverjoyedifyeorywaswhatyoursis.”
shetossedthecigaretteendintothewater.
mikaelsatinsilenceforalongtie.whataisupposedtosay？you’reaperfectlyordinarygirl.whatdoesitatterifyou’realittledifferent？whatkindofself-iagedoyouhave,anyway？
“ithoughttherewassoethingdifferentaboutyoutheinstantisawyou,”hesaid.“andyouknohat？it’sbeenareallylongtiesincei’vehadsuchaspontaneousgoodipressionofanyonefrotheverybeginning.”
soechildrencaeoutofacabinontheothersideoftheharbourandjupedintothewater.thepainter,eugennoran,withwhoblokviststillhadnotexchangedasingleword,wassittinginachairoutsidehishouse,suckingonhispipeasheregardedblokvistandsalander.
“ireallywanttobeyourfriend,ifyou’lllete,”hesaid.“butit’suptoyou.i’goingbacktothehous. comutonsoeorecoffee.ehoewhenyoufeellikeit.”
hegotupandleftherinpeace.hewasonlyhalfwayupthehillwhenheheardherfootstepsbehindhi.theywalkedhoetogetherwithoutexchangingaword.
she. compedhijustastheyreachedthehouse.
“iwasintheprocessofforulatingatheory…wetalkedaboutthefactthatallthisisaparodyofthebible.it’struethathetookacatapart,butisupposeitwouldbehardtogetholdofanox.buthe’sfollowingthebasicstory.iwonder…”shelookedupatthechurchagain.“andtheyshallthrowthebloodroundaboutagainstthealtarthatisthedoorofthetentofeeting…”
theywalkedoverthebridgetothechurch.blokvisttriedthedoor,butitwaslocked.theywanderedaroundforawhile,lookingathead-stonesuntiltheycaetothechapel,whichstoodashortdistanceaway,downbythewater.allofasuddenblokvi. comenedhiseyeswide.itwasnotachapel,itwasacrypt.abovethedoorhecouldreadthenaevangerchiselledintothestone,alongwithaverseinlatin,buthecouldnotdecipherit.
“‘slubertotheendoftie,’”salandersaidbehindhi.
blokvistturnedtolookather.sheshrugged.
“ihappenedtoseethatversesoewhere.”
blokvistroaredwithlaughter.shestiffenedandatfirstshelookedfurious,butthensherelaxedwhensherealisedthathewaslaughingattheedyofthesituation.
blokvisttriedthedoor.itw
15
aslocked.hethoughtforaoent,thentoldsalandertositdownandwaitforhi.hewalkedovertoseeannanygrenandknocked.heexplainedthathewantedtohaveacloserlookatthefailycrypt,andhewonderedwherehenrikightkeepthekey.annalookeddoubtful,butshecollectedthekeyfrohisdesk.
assoonastheyopenedthedoor,theyknewthattheyhadbeenright.thestenchofburnedcadaverandcharredreainshungheavyintheair.butthecattorturerhadnotadeafire.inonecornerstoodablowtorch,thekindusedbyskierstoeltthewaxontheirskis.salandergotthecaeraoutofthepocketofherjeansskirtandtooksoepictures.then,gingerly,shepickeduptheblowtorch.
“thiscouldbeevidence.heighthaveleftfingerprints,”shesaid.
“ohsure,wecanaskthevangerfailytolineupandgiveustheirfingerprints.”blokvistsiled.“iwouldlovetowatchyougetisabella’s.”
“thereareways,”salandersaid.
therewasagreatdealofbloodonthefloor,notallofitdry,aswellasaboltcutter,whichtheyreckonedhadbeenusedtocutoffthecat’shead.
blokvistlookedaround.araisedsarcophagusbelongedtoalexandrevangeersad,andfourgravesinthefloorhousedthereainsoftheearliestfailyebers.morerecentlythevangershadapparentlysettledforcreation.aboutthirtynichesonthewallhadthenaesoftheclanancestors.blokvisttracedthefailychronicleforwardintie,wonderingwheretheyburiedfailyeberswhowerenotgivenspaceinsidethecrypt—thosenotdeeediportantenough.
“noeknow,”blokvistsaidastheywerere-crossingthebridge.“we’rehuntingforthepletelunatic.”
“whatdoyouean？”
blokvistpausedintheiddleofthebridgeandleanedontherail.
“ifthiswassoerun-of-the-illcrackpotwhowastryingtofrightenus,hewouldhavetakenthecatdowntothegarageorevenoutintothewoods.buthewenttothecrypt.there’ssoethingpulsiveaboutthat.justthinkoftherisk.it’ssuerandpeopleareoutandaboutatnight,goingforwalks.theroadthroughtheceeteryisaainroadbetweenthenorthandsouthofhedeby.evenifheshutthedoorbehindhi,thecatusthaveraisedcain,andthereusthavebeenaburningsell.”
“he？”
“idon’tthinkthatceciliavangerwouldbecreepingaroundhereinthenightwithablowtorch.”
salandershrugged.
“idon’ttrustanylastoneofthe,includingfrodeoryourfriendhenrik.they’reallpartofafailythatwouldswindleyouiftheyhadthechance.sowhatdowedonow？”
blokvistsaid,“i’vediscoveredalotofsecretsaboutyou.howanypeople,forexaple,knowthatyou’reahacker？”
“no-one.”
“no-oneexcepte,youean.”
“whatareyougettingat？”
“iwanttoknowifyou’reokwithe.ifyoutruste.”
shelookedathiforalongoent.finally,forananswer,sheonlyshrugged.
“there’snothingicandoaboutit.”
“doyoutruste？”blokvistpersisted.
“forthetiebeing,”shesaid.
“good.let’sgoovertoseefrode.”
thiswasthefirsttieadvokatfrode’swifehadetsalander.shegaveherawide-eyedlookatthesaetieas