Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The - Stieg Larsson [49]
“We couldn’t use it even if you came back with incontrovertible proof that it was Wennerström who strangled the girl. Not after so many years. He’d massacre us in court.”
“The thought had crossed my mind, but it’s no good: he was plugging away at the Stockholm School of Economics and had no connection with the Vanger companies at the time she disappeared.” Blomkvist paused. “Erika, I’m not going to leave Millennium, but it’s important for it to look as if I have. You and Christer have to go on running the magazine. If you can…if you have a chance to…arrange a cease-fire with Wennerström, then do it. You can’t do that if I’m still on the editorial board.”
“OK, but it’s a rotten situation, and I think you’re grasping at straws going to Hedestad.”
“Have you a better idea?”
Berger shrugged. “We ought to start chasing down sources right now. Build up the story from the beginning. And do it right this time.”
“Ricky—that story is dead as a doornail.”
Dejected, Berger rested her head on her hands. When she spoke, at first she did not want to meet Blomkvist’s eyes.
“I’m so fucking angry with you. Not because the story you wrote was baseless—I was in on it as much as you were. And not because you’re leaving your job as publisher—that’s a smart decision in this situation. I can go along with making it look like a schism or a power struggle between you and me—I understand the logic when it’s a matter of making Wennerström believe I’m a harmless bimbo and you’re the real threat.” She paused and now looked him resolutely in the eye. “But I think you’re making a mistake. Wennerström isn’t going to fall for it. He’s going to keep on destroying Millennium. The only difference is that starting from today, I have to fight him alone, and you know that you’re needed more than ever on the editorial board. OK, I’d love to wage war against Wennerström, but what makes me so cross is that you’re abandoning ship all of a sudden. You’re leaving me in the lurch when things are absolutely at their worst ever.”
Blomkvist reached across and stroked her hair.
“You’re not alone. You’ve got Christer and the rest of the staff behind you.”
“Not Janne Dahlman. By the way, I think you made a mistake hiring him. He’s competent, but he does more harm than good. I don’t trust him. He went around looking gleeful about your troubles all autumn. I don’t know if he hopes he can take over your role or whether it’s just personal chemistry between him and the rest of the staff.”
“I’m afraid you’re right,” Blomkvist said.
“So what should I do? Fire him?”
“Erika, you’re editor in chief and the senior shareholder of Millennium. If you have to, fire him.”
“We’ve never fired anyone, Micke. And now you’re dumping this decision on me too. It’s no fun any more going to the office in the morning.”
At that point Malm surprised them by standing up.
“If you’re going to catch that train we’ve got to get moving.” Berger began to protest, but he held up a hand. “Wait, Erika, you asked me what I thought. Well, I think the situation is shitty. But if things are the way Mikael says—that he’s about to hit the wall—then he really does have to leave for his own sake. We owe him that much.”
They stared at Malm in astonishment and he gave Blomkvist an embarrassed look.
“You both know that it’s you two who are Millennium. I’m a partner and you’ve always been fair with me and I love the magazine and all that, but you could easily replace me with some other art director. But since you asked for my opinion, there you have it. As far as Dahlman is concerned, I agree with you. And if you want to fire him, Erika, then I’ll do it for you. As long as we have a credible reason. Obviously it’s extremely unfortunate that Mikael’s leaving right now, but I don’t think we have a choice. Mikael, I’ll drive you to the station. Erika and I will hold the fort until you get back.”
“What I’m afraid of is that Mikael won’t ever come back,” Berger said quietly.
Armansky