Mikael had rarely managed to surprise Berger. This time she was silent for nearly
ten seconds.
“And what are you doing in Australia? If I might ask.”
“I’m finishing up the job. I’ll be back in a few days. I just called to tell you that my
work for Henrik Vanger is almost done.”
He arrived at Cochran Farm around noon the following day, to be told that Anita
Cochran was at a sheep station near a place called Makawaka seventy-five miles
farther west.
It was 4:00 in the afternoon by the time Mikael found his way there on dusty back
roads. He stopped at a gate where some sheep ranchers were gathered around the
hood of a Jeep having coffee. Blomkvist got out and explained that he was looking
for Anita Cochran. They all turned towards a muscular young man, clearly the
decision-maker of the group. He was bare chested and very brown except for the
parts normally covered by his T-shirt. He was wearing a wide-brimmed hat.
“The boss is about eighteen miles off in that direction,” he said, pointing with his
thumb.
He cast a sceptical glance at Blomkvist’s vehicle and said that it might not be such a
good idea to go on in that Japanese toy car. Finally the tanned athlete said that he
was heading that way and would drive Blomkvist in his Jeep. Blomkvist thanked
him and took along his computer case.
The man introduced himself as Jeff and said that he was the “studs manager” at the
station. Blomkvist asked him to explain what that meant. Jeff gave him a sidelong
look and concluded that Blomkvist was not from these parts. He explained that a
studs manager was rather the equivalent of a financial manager in a bank, although
he administered sheep, and that a “station” was the Australian word for ranch.
They continued to converse as Jeff cheerfully steered the Jeep at about ten
kilometres an hour down into a ravine with a 20° slope. Blomkvist thanked his lucky
stars that he had not attempted the drive in his rental car. He asked what was down
in the ravine and was told that it was the pasture land for 700 head of sheep.