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Erika had the same attitude to the journalist’s role as he did. Even when they were in journalism school they had amused themselves by imagining a magazine with just such a mission statement.
Erika was the best boss Mikael could imagine. She was an organiser who could handle employees with warmth and trust but who at the same time wasn’t afraid of confrontation and could be very tough when necessary. Above all, she had an icy gut feeling when it came to making decisions about the contents of the upcoming issue. She and Mikael often had differing views and could have healthy arguments, but they also had unwavering confidence in each other, and together they made an unbeatable team. He did the field work of tracking down the story, while she packaged and marketed it.
Mille
Mikael had often wondered why Erika had set her sights on Mille
Berger had also convinced Christer Malm to buy into the magazine. He was an exhibitionist gay celebrity who sometimes appeared with his boyfriend in “at home with” articles. The interest in him began when he moved in with Arnold Magnusson, an actor with a background at the Royal Dramatic Theatre who had made a serious breakthrough when he played himself in a docu-soap. Christer and Arn had then become a media item.
At thirty-six, Malm was a sought-after professional photographer and designer who gave Mille
The Mille
Now the situation would in all probability be changing. Blomkvist read through the press release which he and Berger had drafted and which had quickly been converted to a wire service story from TT that was already up on Aftonbladet’s website.
CONVICTED REPORTER LEAVES MILLENNIUM
Stockholm (T.T.). Journalist Mikael Blomkvist is leaving his post as publisher of the magazine Mille
Blomkvist is leaving Mille
Blomkvist was one of the founders of Mille
The magazine will come out as usual next month, says Berger.
“Mikael Blomkvist has played a major role in the magazine’s development, but now we’re turning a new page.”
Berger states that she regards the We
“It makes me mad,” Berger said when the press release was emailed out. “Most people are going to think that you’re an idiot and I’m a bitch who’s taking the opportunity to sack you.”
“At least our friends will have something new to laugh about.” Blomkvist tried to make light of it; she was not the least amused.
“I don’t have a plan B, but I think we’re making a mistake,” she said.
“It’s the only way out. If the magazine collapses, all our years of work will have been in vain. We’ve already taken a beating on the ads revenue. How did it go with the computer company, by the way?”
She sighed. “They told me this morning that they didn’t want to take space in the next issue.”
“We
“We can scare up some new clients. We
Blomkvist put an arm around her and pulled her close.
“Some day we’re going to nail Herr We
“I know all that, but I don’t like coming across as a fucking bitch, and you’re being forced into a disgusting situation if we pretend that there’s some sort of division between you and me.”
“Ricky, as long as you and I trust each other we’ve got a chance. We have to play it by ear, and right now it’s time to retreat.”
She reluctantly admitted that there was a depressing logic to what he said.
CHAPTER 4. Monday, December 23-Thursday, December 26
Berger stayed over the weekend. They got up only to go to the bathroom or to get something to eat, but they had not only made love. They had lain head to foot for hours and talked about the future, weighing up the possibilities, and the odds. When dawn came on Monday morning it was the day before Christmas Eve and she kissed him goodbye-until next time-and drove home.
Blomkvist spent Monday washing dishes and cleaning the apartment, then walking down to the office and clearing out his desk. He had no intention of breaking ties with the magazine, but he had eventually convinced Berger that he had to be separated from the magazine for a time. He would work from home.
The office was closed for the Christmas holidays and all his colleagues were gone. He was weeding through trays of papers and packing books in cartons to take away when the telephone rang.
“I’m looking for Mikael Blomkvist,” said a hopeful but unfamiliar voice on the line.
“Speaking.”
“Forgive me for bothering you like this una
“That’s fine, please ask your client to call me.”
“I mean that he wants to meet with you in person.”
“OK, make an appointment and send him up to the office. But you’d better hurry; I’m clearing out my desk right now.”
“My client would like you to visit him in Hedestad-it’s only three hours by train.”
Blomkvist pushed a filing tray aside. The media have the ability to attract the craziest people to call in perfectly absurd tips. Every newsroom in the world gets updates from UFOlogists, graphologists, scientologists, paranoiacs, every sort of conspiracy theorist.
Blomkvist had once listened to a lecture by the writer Karl Alvar Nilsson at the ABF hall on the a