“We should have locked the front door. Erika—this is Cecilia Vanger. Cecilia—Erika
Berger is the editor in chief of Millennium.”
“Hi,” Cecilia said.
“Hi,” Berger said. She looked as though she could not decide whether to step
forward and politely shake hands or just leave. “Uh, I...I can go for a walk...”
“What do you say to putting on some coffee instead?” Blomkvist looked at the
alarm clock on the bedside table. Just past noon.
Berger nodded and pulled the bedroom door shut. Blomkvist and Cecilia looked at
each other. Cecilia appeared embarrassed. They had made love and talked until
4:00 in the morning. Then Cecilia said she thought she’d sleep over and that in the
future she wouldn’t give a tinker’s cuss who knew she was sleeping with Mikael
Blomkvist. She had slept with her back to him and with his arm tucked around her
breasts.
“Listen, it’s OK,” he said. “Erika’s married and she isn’t my girlfriend. We see each
other now and then, but she doesn’t care at all if you and I have something...She’s
probably pretty embarrassed herself right now.”
When they went into the kitchen a while later, Erika had set out coffee, juice, lemon
marmalade, cheese, and toast. It smelled good. Cecilia went straight up to her and
held out her hand.
“I was a little abrupt in there. Hi.”
“Dear Cecilia, I’m so sorry for stomping in like an elephant,” said a very embarrassed
Erika Berger.
“Forget it, for God’s sake. And let’s have breakfast.”
After breakfast Berger excused herself and left them alone, saying that she had to
go and say hello to Vanger. Cecilia cleared the table with her back to Mikael. He
went up and put his arms around her.
“What’s going to happen now?” Cecilia said.