“ithinkyouandiaregoingtobegoodfriends,”hesaid.“wehavetobeabletotrusteachother.”
whenshedidnotreplyhesaid:“you’reagrownwoannow,lisbeth.”
shenodded.
“ehere,”hesaidandheldouthishand.
salanderfixedhergazeontheletteropenerforseveralsecondsbeforeshestoodupandwentovertohi.consequences.hetookherhandandpressedittohiscrotch.shecouldfeelhisgenitalsthroughthedarkgabardirousers.
“ifyou’renicetoe,i’llbenicetoyou.”
heputhisotherhandaroundherneckandpulledherdowntoherkneeswithherfaceinfrontofhiscrotch.
“you’vedohisbefore,haven’tyou？”hesaidasheloweredhiszip.heselledasifhehadjustwashedhiselfwithsoapandwater.
salanderturnedherfaceawayandtriedtogetup,butheheldherinatightgrip.intersofphysicalstrength,shewasnoatchforhi；sheweighed90poundstohis210.heheldherheadwithbothhandsandturnedherfacesotheireyeset.
“ifyou’renicetoe,i’llbenicetoyou,”herepeated.“ifyouaketrouble,icanputyouawayinaninstitutionfortherestofyourlife.wouldyoulikethat？”
shesaidnothing.
“wouldyoulikethat？”hesaidagain.
sheshookherhead.
hewaiteduntilsheloweredhereyes,inwhatheregardedassubission.thenhepulledhercloser.salanderopenedherlipsandtookhiinherouth.hekepthisgriponherneckandpulledherfiercelytowardshi.shefeltlikegaggingthewholeteninuteshetooktobupandgrind；whenfinallyhecae,hewasholdinghersotightshecouldhardlybreathe.
heshowedherthebathrooinhisoffice.salanderwasshakingalloverasshewipedherfaceandtriedtoruboffthespotsonhersweater.shechewedsoeofhistoothpastetogetridofthetaste.whenshewentbacktohisoffice,hewassittingipassivelybehindhisdesk,studyingsoepapers.
“sitdown,lisbeth,”hetoldherwithoutlookingup.shesatdown.finallyhelookedatherandsiled.
“you’regrown-upnow,aren’tyou,lisbeth？”
shenodded.
“thenyoualsoneedtobeabletoplaygrown-upgaes,”hesaid.heusedatoneofvoiceasifhewerespeakingtoachild.shedidnotreply.asallfrownappearedonhisbrow.
“idon’tthinkitwouldbeagoodideaforyoutotellanyoneaboutourgaes.thinkaboutit—whowouldbelieveyou？therearedocuentsstatingthatyou’renonposentis.itwouldbeyourwordagainstine.whoseworddoyouthinkwouldcarryoreweight？”
hesighedwhenstillshedidnotspeak.hewasannoyedatthewayshejustsatthereinsilence,lookingathi—buthecontrolledhiself.
“we’regoingtobegoodfriends,youandi,”hesaid.“ithinkyouweresarttoeandseeetoday.youcanalwaysetoe.”
“ineed10,000kronorforyputer,”shesaid,precisely,asifshewerecontinuingtheconversationtheywerehavingbeforetheinterruption.
bjuranraisedhiseyebrows.hard-nosedbitch.shereallyisfuckingretarded.hehandedherthechequehehadwrittenwhenshewasinthebathroo.thisisbetterthanawhore.shegetspaidwithherownoney.hegaveheranarrogantsile.salandertookthechequeandleft.
chapter12
wednesday,february19
ifsalanderhadbeenanordinarycitizen,shewouldostlikelyhavecalledthepoliceandreportedtherapeassoonassheleftadvokatbjuran’soffice.thebruisesonherneck,aswellasthednasignatureofhisseenstainingherbodyandclothing,wouldhavenailedhi.evenifthelawyerhadclaiedthatshewantedtodoitorsheseducedeoranyotherexcusethatrapistsroutinelyused,hewouldhavebeenguiltyofsoanybreachesoftheguardianshipregulationsthathewouldinstantlyhavebeenstrippedofhiscontroloverher.areportwouldhavepresuablyresultedinsalanderbeinggivenaproperlawyer,soeonewell-versedinassaultsonwoen,whichinturnighthaveledtoadiscussionoftheveryheartoftheproble—eaningthereasonshehadbeendeclaredlegallyinpetent.
since1989,theter“legallyinpetent”hasnolongerbeenappliedtoadults.
therearetwolevelsofsocialwelfareprotection—trusteeshipandguardianship.
atrusteestepsintooffervoluntaryhelpforindividualswho,forvariousreasons,haveproblesanagingtheirdailylives,payingtheirbills,ortakingpropercareoftheirhygiene.thepersonwhoisappointedasatrusteeisoftenarelativeorclosefriend.ifthereisno-oneclosetothepersoninquestion,thewelfareauthoritiescanappointatrustee.trusteeshipisaildforofguardianship,inwhichtheclient—thepersondeclaredinpetent—stillhascontroloverhisorherassetsanddecisionsareadeinconsultationwiththetrustee.
guardianshipisastricterforofcontrol,inwhichtheclientisrelievedoftheauthoritytohandlehisorherownoneyortoakedecisionsregardingvariousatters.theexactwordingstatesthattheguardianshalltakeoveralloftheclient’slegalpowers.inswedenapproxiately4,000peopleareunderguardianship.theostonreasonforaguardianshipisentalillnessorentalillnessinconjunctionwithheavyabuseofalcoholordrugs.asallergroupincludesthosesufferingfrodeentia.manyoftheindividualsunderguardianshiparerelativelyyoung—thirty-fiveorless.oneofthewaslisbethsalander.
takingawayaperson’scontrolofherownlife—eaningherbankaount—isoneofthegreatestinfringeentsadeocracycanipose,especiallywhenitappliestoyoungpeople.itisaninfringeenteveniftheintentaybeperceivedasbenignandsociallyvalid.questionsofguardianshiparethereforepotentiallysensitivepoliticalissues,andareprotectedbyrigorousregulationsandcontrolledbytheguardianshipagency.thisagencyesunderthecountyadinistrativeboardandiscontrolled,inturn,bytheparliaentaryobudsan.
fortheostparttheguardianshipagencycarriesoutitsactivitiesunderdifficultconditions.butconsideringthesensitiveissueshandledbytheauthorities,rearkablyfewplaintsorscandalsareeverreportedintheedia.
oasionallytherearereportsthatchargeshavebeenbroughtagainstsoetrusteeorguardianwhohasisappropriatedfundsorsoldhisclient’sco-opapartentandstuffedtheproceedsintohisownpockets.thatthosecasesarerelativelyrareaybetheresultoftwothings:theauthoritiesarecarryingouttheirjobsinasatisfactoryanner,ortheclientshavenoopportunitytoplainandinacrediblewayaketheselvesheardbytheediaorbytheauthorities.
theguardianshipagencyisboundtoconductanannualreviewtoseewhetheranycauseexistsforrevokingaguardianship.sincesalanderpersistedinherrefusaltosubittopsychiatricexaination—shewouldnotevenexchangeapolite“goodorning”withherteachers—theauthoritieshadneverfoundanyreasontoaltertheirdecision.consequently,asituationofstatusquohadresulted,andsoyearafteryearshewasretainedunderguardianship.
thewordingofthelawstates,however,thattheconditionsofaguardianship“shallbeadaptedtoeachindividualcase.”palgrenhadinterpretedthistoeanthatsalandercouldtakechargeofherownoneyandherownlife.hehadeticulouslyfulfilledtherequireentsoftheauthoritiesandsubittedaonthlyreportaswellasanannualreview.inallotherrespectshehadtreatedsalanderlikeanyothernoralbeing,andhehadnotinterferedwithherchoiceoflifestyleorfriends.hedidnotthinkitwaseitherhisbusinessorthatofsocietytodecidewhethertheyoungladyshouldhavearinginhernoseoratattooonherneck.thisratherstubbornattitudevis-à-visthedistrictcourtwasoneofthereasonswhytheyhadgotalongsowell.
aslongaspalgrenwasherguardian,salanderhadnotpaiduchattentiontoherlegalstatus.
salanderwasnotlikeanynoralperson.shehadarudientaryknowledgeofthelaw—itwasasubjectshehadneverhadoasiontoexplore—andherfaithinthepolicewasgenerallyexiguous.forherthepolicewereahostileforcewhoovertheyearshadputherunderarrestorhuiliatedher.thelastdealingshehadhadwiththepolicewasinmayofthepreviousyearwhenshewaswalkingpastg？tgatanonherwaytomiltonsecurity.shesuddenlyfoundherselffacingavisor-cladriotpoliceofficer.withouttheslightestprovocationonherpart,hehadstruckherontheshoulderswithhisbaton.herspontaneousreactionwastolaunchafiercecounterattack,usingacoca-colabottlethatshehadinherhand.theofficerturnedonhisheelandranoffbeforeshecouldinjurehi.onlylaterdidshefindoutthat“reclaithestreets”washoldingadeonstrationfartherdowntheroad.
visitingtheofficesofthosevisor-cladbrutestofileareportagainstnilsbjuranforsexualassaultdidnotevencrossherind.andbesides—whatwasshesupposedtoreport？bjuranhadtouchedherbreasts.anyofficerwouldtakeonelookatherandconcludethatwithheriniatureboobs,thatwashighlyunlikely.andifithadactuallyhappened,sheshouldbeproudthatsoeonehadevenbothered.andthepartaboutsuckinghisdick—itwas,ashehadwarnedher,herwordagainsthis,andgenerallyinherexperiencethewordsofotherpeopleweighedoreheavilythanhers.thepolicewerenotanoption.
sheleftbjuran’sofficeandwenthoe,tookashower,atetwosandwicheswithcheeseandpickles,andthensatontheworn-outsofainthelivingrootothink.
anordinarypersonighthavefeltthatherlackofreactionhadshiftedtheblaetoher—itighthavebeenanothersignthatshewassoabnoralthatevenrapecouldevokenoadequateeotionalresponse.
hercircleofacquaintanceswasnotlarge,nordiditcontainanyebersoftheshelterediddleclassfrothesuburbs.bythetieshewaseighteen,salanderdidnotknowasinglegirlwhoatsoepointhadnotbeenforcedtoperforsoesortofsexualactagainstherwill.mostoftheseassaultsinvolvedslightlyolderboyfriendswho,usingacertainaountofforce,adesurethattheyhadtheirway.asfarassalanderknew,theseincidentshadledtocryingandangryoutbursts,butnevertoapolicereport.
inherworld,thiswasthenaturalorderofthings.asagirlshewaslegalprey,especiallyifshewasdressedinawornblackleatherjacketandhadpiercedeyebrows,tattoos,andzerosocialstatus.
therewasnopointwhiperingaboutit.
ontheotherhand,therewasnoquestionofadvokatbjurangoingunpunished.salanderneverfotaninjustice,andbynatureshewasanythingbutfiving.
butherlegalstatuswasdifficult.foraslongasshecouldreeber,shewasregardedascunningandunjustifiablyviolent.thefirstreportsinhercasecaefrothefilesoftheschoolnursefroeleentaryschool.salanderhadbeensenthoebecauseshehitaclassateandshovedhiagainstacoatpeganddrewblood.shestillreeberedhervictiwithannoyance—anoverweightboybythenaeofdavidgustavssonwhousedtoteaseherandthrowthingsather；hewouldgrowuptobeanarchbully.inthosedaysshedidnotknohattheword“harassent”eant,butwhenshecaetoschoolthenextday,theboyhadthreatenedrevenge.soshehaddeckedhiwitharightjabfortifiedwithagolfball—whichledtoorebloodshedandanewentryinhercase.
therulesforsocialinteractioninschoolhadalwaysbaffledher.sheindedherownbusinessanddidnotinterferewithwhatanyonearoundherdid.yettherewasalwayssoeonewhoabsolutelywouldnotleaveherinpeace.
iniddleschoolshehadseveraltiesbeensenthoeaftergettingintoviolentfightswithclassates.muchstrongerboysinherclasssoonlearnedthatitcouldbequiteunpleasanttofightwiththatskinnygirl.unliketheothergirlsintheclass,sheneverbackeddown,andshewouldnotforasecondhesitatetouseherfistsoranyweaponathandtoprotectherself.shewentaroundwiththeattitudethatshewouldratherbebeatentodeaththantakeanyshit.
andshealwaysgotrevenge.
salanderoncefoundherselfinafightwithauchbiggerandstrongerboy.shewasnoatchforhiphysically.atfirstheausedhiselfshovinghertothegroundseveralties,thenheslappedherwhenshetriedtofightback.butnothingdidanygood；noatterhowuchstrongerhewas,thestupidgirlkeptattackinghi,andafterawhileevenhisclassatesbegantorealisethatthingshadgooofar.shewassoobviouslydefencelessitwaspainfultowatch.finallytheboypunchedherintheface；itsplitopenherlipandadeherseestars.theyleftheronthegroundbehindthegy.shestayedathoefortwodays.ontheorningofthethirddayshewaitedforhertorentorwithabaseballbat,andshewhackedhiovertheearwithit.forthatprankshewassenttoseetheheadteacher,whodecidedtoreporthertothepoliceforassault,whichresultedinaspecialwelfareinvestigation.
herclassatesthoughtshewascrazyandtreatedheraordingly.shealsoarousedverylittlesypathyaongtheteachers.shehadneverbeenparticularlytalkative,andshebecaeknownasthepupilwhoneverraisedherhandandoftendidnotanswerwhenateacheraskedheradirectquestion.no-onewassurewhetherthiswasbecauseshedidnotknowtheansweroriftherewassoeotherreason,whichwasreflectedinhergrades.nodoubtthatshehadprobles,butno-onewantedtotakeresponsibilityforthedifficultgirl,eventhoughshewasfrequentlydiscussedatvariousteachers’eetings.thatwaswhysheendedupinthesituationwheretheteachersignoredherandallowedhertositinsullensilence.
sheleftiddleschoolandovedtoanother,withouthavingasinglefriendtosaygoodbyeto.anunlovedgirlwithoddbehaviour.
then,asshewasonthethresholdofherteenageyears,alltheevilhappened,whichshedidnotwanttothinkabout.thelastoutburstsetthepatternandproptedareviewofthecaseentriesfroeleentaryschool.afterthatshewasconsideredtobelegally…well,crazy.afreak.salanderhadneverneededanydocuentstoknowthatshewasdifferent.butitwasnotsoethingthatbotheredherforaslongasherguardianwasholgerpalgren；iftheneedarose,shecouldwraphiaroundherlittlefinger.
withtheappearanceofnilsbjuran,thedeclarationofinpetencethreatenedtobeeatroublesoeburdeninherlife.noatterwhosheturnedto,pitfallswouldopenup；andwhatwouldhappenifshelostthebattle？wouldshebeinstitutionalised？lockedup？therewasreallynooption.
laterthatnight,whenceciliavangerandblokvistwerelyingpeacefullywiththeirlegsintertwinedandcecilia’sbreastsrestingagainsthisside,shelookedupathi.
“thankyou.it’sbeenalongtie.andyou’renotbad.”
hesiled.thatsortofflatterywasalwayschildishlysatisfying.
“itwasunexpected,butihadfun.”
“i’dbehappytodoitagain,”ceciliasaid.“ifyoufeellikeit.”
helookedather.
“youdon’teanthatyou’dliketohavealover,doyou？”
“anoasionallover,”ceciliasaid.“buti’dlikeyoutogohoebeforeyoufallasleep.idon’twanttowakeuptoorroworningandfindyouherebeforeianagetodoyexercisesandfixyface.anditwouldbegoodifyoudidn’ttellthewholevillagewhatwe’vebeenupto.”
“wouldn’tthinkofit,”blokvistsaid.
“mostofallidon’twantisabellatoknow.she’ssuchabitch.”
“andyourclosestneighbour…i’veether.”
“yes,butluckilyshecan’tseeyfrontdoorfroherhouse.mikael,pleasebediscreet.”
“i’llbediscreet.”
“thankyou.doyoudrink？”
“soeties.”
“i’vegotacravingforsoethingfruitywithgininit.wantsoe？”
“sure.”
shewrappedasheetaroundherselfandwentdownstairs.blokvistwasstandingnaked,lookingathershelveswhenshereturnedwithacarafeoficedwaterandtwoglassesofginandlie.theydrankatoast.
“whydidyoueoverhere？”sheasked.
“nospecialreason.ijust…”
“youweresittingathoe,readingthroughhenrik’sinvestigation.andthenyoucaeoverhere.apersondoesn’tneedtobesuperintelligenttoknohatyou’rebroodingabout.”
“haveyoureadtheinvestigation？”
“partsofit.i’velivedyentireadultlifewithit.youcan’tspendtiewithhenrikwithoutbeingaffectedbytheysteryofharriet.”
“it’sactuallyafascinatingcase.whatibelieveisknowninthetradeasalocked-rooystery,onanisland.andnothingintheinvestigationseestofollownorallogic.everyquestionreainsunanswered,everyclueleadstoadeadend.”
“it’sthekindofthingpeoplecangetobsessedabout.”
“youwereontheislandthatday.”
“yes.iwashere,andiwitnessedthewholeotion.iwaslivinginstockholatthetie,studying.iwishihadstayedathoethatweekend.”
“whatwasshereallylike？peopleseetohavepletelydifferentviewsofher.”
“isthisofftherecordor…？”
“it’sofftherecord.”
“ihaven’ttheleastideawhatwasgoingoninsideharriet’shead.you’rethinkingofherlastyear,ofcourse.onedayshewasareligiouscrackpot.thenextdaysheputonake-uplikeawhoreandwenttoschoolwearingthetightestsweatershepossessed.obviouslyshewasseriouslyunhappy.but,asisaid,iwasn’thereandjustpickedupthegossip.”
“whattriggeredtheprobles？”
“gottfriedandisabella,obviously.theirarriagewastotallyhaywire.theyeitherpartiedortheyfought.nothingphysical—gottfriedwasn’tthetypetohitanyone,andhewasalostafraidofisabella.shehadahorrendousteper.soetieintheearlysixtiesheov