in several years, and I don't know what stage of psychosis she's in at present. But I can say without a shadow of a doubt that the couple in Enskede had to have been known to her."
"What makes you so sure?" Faste wanted to know.
"One of the failures in the treatment of Lisbeth Salander was that no complete diagnosis was ever established for her. That was because she was not receptive to treatment. She invariably refused to answer questions or participate in any form of therapy."
"So you don't actually know if she's sick or not," Modig said. "I mean, if there isn't any diagnosis."
"Look at it this way," Dr. Teleborian said. "I was given Lisbeth Salander just as she was about to turn thirteen. She was psychotic, showed obsessive behaviour, and was obviously suffering from paranoia. She was my patient for two years after she was committed to St.Stefan's. The reason for committing her was that throughout her childhood she had exhibited exceedingly violent behaviour towards schoolmates, teachers, and acquaintances. In repeated instances she was reported for assault. In every case that we know of, the violence was directed at people in her own circle, that is, against people she knew who said or did something that she perceived as an insult. There is no case of her ever having attacked a stranger. That's why I believe there must be a link between her and the couple in Enskede."
"Except for the attack in the tunnelbana when she was seventeen," Faste said.
"Well, on that occasion she was the one who was attacked and she was defending herself," Teleborian said. "Against, it should be said, a known sex offender. But it's also a good example of the way she behaves. She could have walked away or sought refuge among other passengers in the carriage. Instead she responded with aggravated assault. When she feels threatened she reacts with excessive violence."
"What's actually the matter with her?" Bublanski asked.
"As I said, we don't have a real diagnosis. I would say that she suffers from schizophrenia and is continually balancing on the brink of psychosis. She lacks empathy and in many respects can be described as a sociopath. It's surprising, frankly, that she has managed so well since she turned eighteen. She has been functioning in society, albeit under guardianship, for eight years without doing anything that led to a police report or arrest. But her prognosis -"
"Her prognosis?"
"During this entire time she has not received any treatment. My guess is that the illness we might have been able to treat and cure ten years ago is now a fixed part of her personality. I predict that when she is apprehended, she will not be given a prison sentence. She needs treatment."
"So why the hell did the district court decide to give her a free pass into society?" Faste asked.
"It should probably be viewed as a combination of things. She had a lawyer, an eloquent one, but it was also a manifestation of the current liberalization policies and cutbacks. It was a decision that I opposed when I was consulted by forensic medicine. But I had no say in the matter."
"But surely that kind of prognosis must be pretty much guesswork, don't you think?" Modig said. "You don't actually know what's been going on with her since she turned eighteen."
"It's more than a guess. It's based on my professional experience."
"Is she self-destructive?" Modig asked.
"You mean could I picture her committing suicide? No, I doubt that. She's more of an egomaniacal psychopath. It's all about her. Everyone else around her is unimportant."
"You said that she might react with excessive force," Faste said. "In other words, should we consider her to be dangerous?"
Dr. Teleborian looked at him for a long moment. Then he leaned forward and rubbed his forehead.
"You have no idea how difficult it is to say exactly how a person will react. I don't want Lisbeth Salander to be harmed when you apprehend her... but yes, in her case I would try to make sure the arrest is carried out with the utmost circumspection. If she is armed, there would be a very real risk that she will use the weapon."
CHAPTER 18
Tuesday, March 29 - Wednesday, March 30
The three parallel investigations into the murders in Enskede churned on. Officer Bubble's investigation enjoyed the advantages of authority. On the surface, the solution seemed to lie within reach; they had a suspect and a murder weapon that was linked to the suspect. They had an ironclad