Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest, The - Stieg Larsson [224]
“So Mikael Blomkvist is involved in cocaine dealing,” Fräklund said good-naturedly. “Apparently they’ve started to get a little worried about what Blomkvist is working on.”
“This is a counter-move,” Blomkvist said.
“A counter-move to what?”
“They ran into Milton’s security patrol in Morgongåva last night.”
He told them what he had heard from Figuerola about Sandberg’s expedition to the printing factory.
“That busy little rascal,” Bohman said.
“But why now?”
“They must be nervous about what Millennium might publish when the trial starts,” Fräklund said. “If Blomkvist is arrested for dealing cocaine, his credibility will drop dramatically.”
Linder nodded. Blomkvist looked sceptical.
“How are we going to handle this?” Armansky said.
“We should do nothing,” Fräklund said. “We hold all the cards. We have crystal-clear evidence of Sandberg planting the stuff in your apartment. Let them spring the trap. We can prove your innocence in a second, and besides, this will be further proof of the Section’s criminal activities. I would so love to be prosecutor when those guys are brought to trial.”
“I don’t know,” Blomkvist said slowly. “The trial starts the day after tomorrow. The magazine is on the stands on Friday, day three of the trial. If they plan to frame me for dealing cocaine, I’ll never have the time to explain how it happened before the magazine comes out. I risk sitting in prison and missing the beginning of the trial.”
“So, all the more reason for you to stay out of sight this week,” Armansky said.
“Well … I have to work with T.V.4 and I’ve got a number of other things to do. It would be enormously inconvenient—”
“Why right now?” Linder said suddenly.
“How do you mean?” Armansky said.
“They’ve had three months to smear Blomkvist. Why do it right now? Whatever happens they’re not going to be able to prevent publication.”
They all sat in silence for a moment.
“It might be because they don’t have a clue what you’re going to publish, Mikael,” Armansky said. “They have to suppose that you have something in the offing … but they might think all you have is Björck’s report. They have no reason to know that you’re planning on rolling up the whole Section. If it’s only about Björck’s report, then it’s certainly enough to blacken your reputation. Any revelations you might come up with would be drowned out when you’re arrested and charged. Big scandal. The famous Mikael Blomkvist arrested on a drugs charge. Six to eight years in prison.”
“Could I have two copies of the video?” Blomkvist said.
“What are you going to do with them?”
“Lodge one copy with Edklinth. And in three hours I’m going to be at T.V.4. I think it would be prudent to have this ready to run on T. V. if or when all hell breaks loose.”
Figuerola turned off the D.V.D. player and put the remote on the table. They were meeting in the temporary office on Fridhemsplan.
“Cocaine,” Edklinth said. “They’re playing a very dirty game here.”
Figuerola looked thoughtful. She glanced at Blomkvist.
“I thought it best to keep all of you up to date,” he said with a shrug.
“I don’t like this,” Figuerola said. “It implies a recklessness. Someone hasn’t really thought this through. They must realize that you wouldn’t go quietly and let yourself be thrown into Kumla bunker under arrest on a drugs charge.”
“I agree,” Blomkvist said.
“Even if you were convicted, there’s still a strong likelihood that people would believe what you have to say. And your colleagues at Millennium wouldn’t keep quiet either.”
“Furthermore, this is costing them a great deal,” Edklinth said. “They have a budget that allows them to distribute 120,000 kronor here and there without blinking, plus whatever the cocaine costs them.”
“I know, but the plan is actually not bad,” Blomkvist said. “They’re counting on Salander landing back in the asylum while I disappear in a cloud of suspicion. They’re also assuming that any attention would be focused on Säpo – not on the Section.”
“But how are they going to convince the drug squad to search your apartment? I mean, an anonymous tip will