How It All Goes Down
Thursday, February 20 – Friday, March 7
- Salander does a thorough investigation into Nils Bjurman. He appears to be a moderately wealthy, model citizen. He's divorced but his ex-wife is happily remarried.
- There's nothing abnormal with the other people under his guardianship.
- Since there's no dirt, Salander begins thinking of ways to murder him.
- Meanwhile, Blomkvist and Cecilia are having their affair. But he isn't ruling her out as a suspect.
- For a week, Salander tries to plan the perfect murder of Nils Bjurman. She vetoes guns, knives, and bombs. When Armansky calls to offer her a job, she hangs up on him.
- She considers poisoning him with acid or nicotine. But, no matter how she kills him, she'll still be a ward of the state. She needs to control Bjurman, not kill him.
- She makes a new plan, requiring letting Bjurman assault her again. She doesn't like it, but can't think of a better way. If it works, she'll get what she wants.
- Blomkvist has settled into a routine at Hedeby. He reads up on Nazism and works on a chapter on the three Vanger brothers who are Nazis.
- He also tries to figure out the mystery of the numbers, names, and initials in Harriet's date book.
- Nils Bjurman feels better when Salander calls him to meet again. He'd been a little worried she would report him. He needs to teach her a lesson and show her who's boss.
- Salander is worried. She intended to meet Bjurman at his office, but he then switched the meet-up to his place.
- At 8:30pm, Blomkvist and Cecilia get together for sex and to talk about Harriet.
- Just after 8:30pm, Bjurman answers the door in his bathrobe and yells at Salander for being late.
- After a little talk, he handcuffs her arms to the bed and ties her legs, then rapes her.
- Around 3am Saturday, Blomkvist walks back from Cecilia's.
- Around 4am Saturday morning, Nils Bjurman lets Salander leave.