they only came to Hedestad for summer holidays or the more important meetings.
The single exception was Ingrid Vanger, whose son, Gunnar Karlman, lived in
Hedestad. He was the editor in chief of the Hedestad Courier.
Thinking as a private detective might, Vanger thought that the underlying motive
for Harriet’s murder might be found in the structure of the company—the fact that
early on he had made it known that Harriet was special to him; the motive might
have been to harm Vanger himself, or perhaps Harriet had discovered some
sensitive information concerning the company and thereby became a threat to
someone. These were mere speculations; nevertheless, in this manner he had
identified a circle consisting of thirteen individuals whom he considered to be of
potential interest.
Blomkvist’s conversation with Vanger the day before had been illuminating on one
other point. From the start the old man had talked to Blomkvist about so many
members of his family in a contemptuous and denigrating manner. It struck him as
odd. Blomkvist wondered whether the patriarch’s suspicions about his family had
warped his judgement in the matter of Harriet’s disappearance, but now he was
starting to realise that Vanger had made an amazingly sober assessment.
The image that was emerging revealed a family that was socially and financially
successful, but in all the more ordinary aspects was quite clearly dysfunctional.
Henrik Vanger’s father had been a cold, insensitive man who sired his children and
then let his wife look after their upbringing and welfare. Until the children reached
the age of sixteen they barely saw their father except at special family gatherings
when they were expected to be present but also invisible. Henrik could not
remember his father ever expressing any form of love, even in the smallest way. On
the contrary, the son was often told that he was incompetent and was the target of
devastating criticism. Corporal punishment was seldom used; it wasn’t necessary.
The only times he had won his father’s respect came later in life, through his
accomplishments within the Vanger Corporation.
The oldest brother, Richard, had rebelled. After an argument—the reason for which
was never discussed in the family—the boy had moved to Uppsala to study. There
had been sown the seeds of the the Nazi career which Vanger had already
mentioned, and which would eventually lead to the Finnish trenches. What the old