came to the club with a wasp tattooed on her neck."
Blomkvist smiled. He remembered the wasp well. And it was part of the police description of her.
"How long did all this go on?"
"One evening a week for about three years. I was there full-time during that summer and then sporadically after that. The guy who kept up the training with Salander was our junior trainer, Putte Karlsson. Then Salander started working and didn't have time to come as often, but up until last year she'd be there at least once a month. I saw her a few times a year and did sparring sessions with her. It was good training, and we were sweaty afterwards. She hardly ever talked to anyone. When there was no sparring she would work the heavy bag intensely for two hours, as if it were her mortal enemy."
CHAPTER 23
Sunday, April 3 - Monday, April 4
Blomkvist made two more espressos. He apologized when he lit a cigarette. Paolo Roberto shrugged.
He had the public reputation of being a cocky type who would say exactly what he thought. Blomkvist quickly saw that he was just as cocky in private, but that he was an intelligent and modest human being. He reminded himself that Paolo Roberto had also made a bid for a political career as a Social Democrat candidate for parliament. He definitely had something between his ears. Blomkvist found he was beginning to like him.
"Why are you coming to me with this story?"
"That girl's really in the soup, right? I don't know what to do, but she probably could use a friend in her corner."
"I agree."
"Why do you think she's innocent?"
"It's hard to explain. Lisbeth is an uncompromising person, but I just don't believe the story that she could have shot Dag and Mia. Especially not Mia. For one thing, she had no motive -"
"At least none that we know of."
"Fair enough. Lisbeth would have no problem using violence against somebody who deserved it. But I don't know. I've decided to challenge Bublanski, the detective in charge of the investigation. I think there's a reason why Dag and Mia were murdered. And I think the reason is somewhere in the story Dag was working on."
"If you're right, Salander will need more than a hand to hold when she's arrested - she'll need a whole other kind of support."
"I know."
Paolo Roberto had a dangerous glint in his eye. "If she's innocent she's been subjected to one of the worst fucking legal scandals in history. She's been painted as a murderer by the media and the police, and after all the shit that's been written... "
"I know."
"What can we do? Can I help out somehow?"
"The best help we could offer would be to find an alternative suspect. That's what I'm working on. The next best thing would be to get to her before some police thug shoots her dead. Lisbeth isn't the type of person who would give herself up voluntarily."
"So how do we find her?"
"I don't know. But there is one thing you could do. Something practical, if you have the time and energy."
"My girlfriend is away all week. So I do have the time and the energy."
"Well, I was thinking that since you're a boxer... "
"Yes?"
"Lisbeth has a girlfriend, Miriam Wu. You've probably read about her."
"Better known as the S&M dyke... Yeah, I've read about her."
"I have her mobile number and I've been trying to get hold of her. She hangs up as soon as she hears it's a reporter."
"I don't blame her."
"I don't really have time to chase after Froken Wu. But I read somewhere that she trains in kickboxing. I was thinking that if a famous boxer wanted to get in touch with her... "
"I'm with you. And you're hoping that she might provide a lead to Salander."
"When the police interviewed her she said she had no idea where Lisbeth was staying. But it's worth a try."
"Give me her number. I'll talk to her."
Blomkvist gave him the number and the address on Lundagatan.
Bjorck had spent the weekend analysing his situation. His prospects, he decided, were hanging by a fraying thread, and he would have to make the most of the hand he'd been dealt.
Blomkvist was a fucking swine. The only question was whether he could be persuaded to keep his mouth shut about... about the fact that Bjorck had hired the services of those bitches. It was a chargeable offence, and he would be fired if it were made public. The press