them in a lengthy investigation, sidetracking them into the search for Niedermann. That will be Nystrom's task. Whatever happens, Niedermann is of no importance. We'll arrange for Faste to be assigned to investigate Salander."
"That may not be such a bright idea," Nystrom said. "Why don't I just go and have a discreet talk with Prosecutor Ekstrom?"
"And if he gets difficult - "
"I don't think he will. He's ambitious and on the lookout for anything that will benefit his career. I might be able to use some leverage if I need to. He would hate to be dragged into any sort of scandal."
"Good. Stage two is Millennium and Mikael Blomkvist. That's why Clinton has returned to duty. This will require extraordinary measures."
"I don't think I'm going to like this," Wadensjoo said.
"Probably not. But Millennium can't be manipulated in the same straightforward way. On the other hand, the magazine is a threat because of one thing only: Bjorck's 1991 police report. I presume that the report now exists in two places, possibly three. Salander found the report, but Blomkvist somehow got hold of it. Which means that there was some degree of contact between the two of them while Salander was on the run."
Clinton held up a finger and uttered his first words since he had arrived.
"It also tells us something about the character of our adversary. Blomkvist is not afraid to take risks. Remember the Wennerstrom affair."
Gullberg nodded. "Blomkvist gave the report to his editor-in-chief, Erika Berger, who in turn messengered it to Bublanski. So she's read it too. We have to assume that they made a copy for safekeeping. I'm guessing that Blomkvist has a copy and that there's one at the editorial offices."
"That sounds reasonable," Wadensjoo said.
"Millennium is a monthly, so they won't be publishing it tomorrow. We've got a little time - find out exactly how long before the next issue is published - but we have to confiscate both those copies. And here we can't go through the Prosecutor General."
"I understand."
"So we're talking about an operation, getting into Blomkvist's apartment and Millennium's offices. Can you handle that, Jonas?"
Sandberg glanced at Wadensjoo.
"Evert... you have to understand that... we don't do things like that any more," Wadensjoo said. "It's a new era. We deal more with computer hacking and electronic surveillance and such like. We don't have the resources for what you'd think of as an operations unit."
Gullberg leaned forward. "Wadensjoo, you're going to have to sort out some resources pretty damn fast. Hire some people. Hire a bunch of skinheads from the Yugo mafia who can whack Blomkvist over the head if necessary. But those two copies have to be recovered. If they don't have the copies, they don't have the evidence. If you can't manage a simple job like that then you might as well sit here with your thumb up your backside until the constitutional committee comes knocking on your door."
Gullberg and Wadensjoo glared at each other for a long moment.
"I can handle it," Sandberg said suddenly.
"Are you sure?"
Sandberg nodded.
"Good. Starting now, Clinton is your boss. He's the one you take your orders from."
Sandberg nodded his agreement.
"It's going to involve a lot of surveillance," Nystrom said. "I can suggest a few names. We have a man in the external organization, Mårtensson - he works as a bodyguard in S.I.S. He's fearless and shows promise. I've been considering bringing him in here. I've even thought that he could take my place one day."
"That sounds good," Gullberg said. "Clinton can decide."
"I'm afraid there might be a third copy," Nystrom said.
"Where?"
"This afternoon I found out that Salander has taken on a lawyer. Her name is Annika Giannini. She's Blomkvist's sister."
Gullberg pondered this news. "You're right. Blomkvist will have given his sister a copy. He must have. In other words, we have to keep tabs on all three of them - Berger, Blomkvist and Giannini - until further notice."
"I don't think we have to worry about Berger. There was a report today that she's going to be the new editor-in-chief at Svenska Morgon-Posten. She's finished with Millennium."
"Check her out anyway. As far as Millennium is concerned, we're going to need telephone taps and bugs in everyone's homes, and at the offices. We have to check their email. We have to know who they meet and who they talk to. And we would very much like to know what strategy they're planning. Above all we have to get those copies