and closed Bublanski's door.
"To tell you the truth... I don't want to trash him, but he isn't much help."
Bublanski frowned. "Out with it."
"I don't know, he's obviously not a real policeman like Bohman. He talks a lot of drivel. He has about the same attitude towards Miriam Wu as Faste does, and he's totally uninterested in the assignment. And - although I can't put my finger on it - he has some kind of problem with Salander."
"How so?"
"I've got a feeling there's some bad blood between them."
Bublanski nodded slowly. "That's a shame. Bohman's OK, but I don't really like having outsiders involved in this investigation."
"So what shall we do?"
"You'll have to put up with him for the rest of the week. Armansky said they'll break it off if they don't get results. Keep digging and count on having to do the whole job yourself."
Modig was interrupted after only forty-five minutes. She was called to Ekstrom's office. Bublanski was with him. Both men were red in the face. Tony Scala, the freelance journalist, had just released a scoop with the news that Paolo Roberto had rescued the S&M dyke Miriam Wu from an unknown kidnapper. The article contained several details that could only be known to someone inside the investigation. It was written in such a way as to suggest that the police were considering filing charges against Paolo Roberto for assault.
Ekstrom had already received several phone calls from other papers that wanted news about the boxer's role. He was livid. He accused Modig of having leaked the story. Modig vigorously objected to the accusation, but in vain. Ekstrom wanted her off the investigation.
"Sonja says she didn't leak anything," Bublanski said. "That's good enough for me. It's insane to remove an experienced detective who's familiar with every detail of the case."
Ekstrom refused to budge.
"Modig, I can't prove that you leaked the information, but I have no confidence in you with regard to this investigation. You are relieved from the team, effective immediately. Take the rest of the week off. You'll be given other assignments on Monday."
Modig nodded and headed for the door. Bublanski stopped her.
"Sonja. For the record: I don't believe one word of this, and you have my full confidence. But I'm not the one who decides. See me in my office before you go home, please."
Bublanski's face had taken on a dangerous hue. Ekstrom looked furious.
Modig went back to her office, where she and Hedstrom had been working on Svensson's computer. She was angry and close to tears. Hedstrom could tell that something was wrong, but he said nothing and she ignored him. She sat at her desk and stared into space. There was an oppressive silence in the room.
After a while Hedstrom excused himself and said he had to get a cup of coffee. He asked if he could bring her one. She shook her head.
When he had left she got up and put on her jacket. She took her shoulder bag and went to Bublanski's office. He pointed to the visitor's chair.
"Sonja, I don't intend to yield in this matter unless Ekstrom removes me from the investigation too. I won't accept it and I'm thinking of filing a complaint. Until you hear otherwise from me, you'll remain on the team. At my direction. Understand?"
She nodded.
"You will not take the rest of the week off as Ekstrom said. I want you to go to Millennium's offices and have another talk with Blomkvist. Ask him for help in guiding you through Dag Svensson's hard drive. They have a copy there. We can save a lot of time if we have somebody who's already familiar with the material picking out the things that might be important."
Modig breathed more easily.
"I didn't say anything to Hedstrom."
"I'll take care of him. He can help Andersson. Have you seen Faste?"
"No. He left right after the meeting."
Bublanski sighed.
Blomkvist had arrived home from the hospital at 8:00 a.m. He had had too little sleep and he had to be at his best for an afternoon meeting with Bjorck in Smådalaro. He undressed, set the alarm for 10:30, and got two more hours of much-needed sleep. He shaved, showered, and put on a clean shirt. As he was driving past Gullmarsplan, Modig called his mobile. Blomkvist explained that he would not be able to meet her. She told him what she needed, and he referred her to Berger.
When she arrived at Millennium's offices, Modig found that she liked the self-confident and slightly domineering woman with the