Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest, The - Stieg Larsson [238]
“You’re going to be called as a witness,” Armansky said.
“I know. I’m ready. But it won’t happen before the day after tomorrow. At least that’s what we’re counting on.”
Ekström had left his reading glasses at home and had to push his glasses up on to his forehead and squint to be able to read the last-minute handwritten additions to his text. He stroked his blond goatee before once more he readjusted his glasses and surveyed the room.
Salander sat with her back ramrod straight and gave the prosecutor an unfathomable look. Her face and eyes were impassive and she did not appear to be wholly present. It was time for the prosecutor to begin questioning her.
“I would like to remind Fröken Salander that she is speaking under oath,” Ekström said at last.
Salander did not move a muscle. Prosecutor Ekström seemed to be anticipating some sort of response and waited for a few seconds. He looked at her expectantly.
“You are speaking under oath,” he said.
Salander tilted her head very slightly. Giannini was busy reading something in the preliminary investigation protocol and seemed unconcerned by whatever Prosecutor Ekström was saying. Ekström shuffled his papers. After an uncomfortable silence he cleared his throat.
“Very well then,” Ekström said. “Let us proceed directly to the events at the late Advokat Bjurman’s summer cabin outside Stallarholmen on April 6 of this year, which was the starting point of my presentation of the case this morning. We shall attempt to bring clarity to how it happened that you drove down to Stallarholmen and shot Carl-Magnus Lundin.”
Ekström gave Salander a challenging look. Still she did not move a muscle. The prosecutor suddenly seemed resigned. He threw up his hands and looked pleadingly at the judge. Judge Iversen seemed wary. He glanced at Giannini who was still engrossed in some papers, apparently unaware of her surroundings.
Judge Iversen cleared his throat. He looked at Salander. “Are we to interpret your silence to mean that you don’t want to answer any questions?” he asked.
Salander turned her head and met Judge Iversen’s eyes.
“I will gladly answer questions,” she said.
Judge Iversen nodded.
“Then perhaps you can answer the question,” Ekström put in.
Salander looked at Ekström and said nothing.
“Could you please answer the question?” Judge Iversen urged her.
Salander looked back at the judge and raised her eyebrows. Her voice was clear and distinct.
“Which question? Until now that man there” – she nodded towards Ekström – “has made a number of unverified statements. I haven’t yet heard a question.”
Giannini looked up. She propped her elbow on the table and leaned her chin on her hand with an interested expression.
Ekström lost his train of thought for few seconds.
“Could you please repeat the question?” Judge Iversen said.
“I asked whether … you drove down to Advokat Bjurman’s summer cabin in Stallarholmen with the intention of shooting Carl-Magnus Lundin.”
“No. You said that you were going to try to bring clarity to how it happened that I drove down to Stallarholmen and shot Carl-Magnus Lundin. That was not a question. It was a general assertion in which you anticipated my answer. I’m not responsible for the assertions you are making.”
“Don’t quibble. Answer the question.”
“No.”
Silence.
“No what?”
“No is my answer to the question.”
Prosecutor Ekström sighed. This was going to be a long day. Salander watched him expectantly.
“It might be best to take this from the beginning,” he said. “Were you at the late Advokat Bjurman’s summer cabin in Stallarholmen on the afternoon of April 6 this year?”
“Yes.”
“How did you get there?”
“I went by shuttle train to Södertälje and took the Strängnäs bus.”
“What was your reason for going to Stallarholmen? Had you arranged a meeting there with Carl-Magnus Lundin and his friend Sonny Nieminen?”
“No.”
“How was it that they showed up there?”
“You’ll have to ask them that.”
“I’m asking you.”
Salander did not reply.
Judge Iversen cleared his throat. “I presume that Fröken Salander is not