The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (Millennium 3)

"Then I would ask that Herr Teleborian stand down for a while," Judge Iversen said.

"Are you finished with me?" Teleborian said.

"No, not by any means," Giannini said.

Blomkvist replaced Teleborian in the witness box. Judge Iversen swiftly dealt with the formalities, and Blomkvist took the oath.

"Mikael," Giannini said, and then she smiled. "I would find it difficult, if your honour will forgive me, to call my brother Herr Blomkvist, so I will settle for his first name."

She went to Judge Iversen's bench and asked for the forensic psychiatric report which she had just handed to him. She then gave it to Blomkvist.

"Have you seen this document before?"

"Yes, I have. I have three versions in my possession. The first I acquired on May 12, the second on May 19, and the third--this one--on June 3."

"Can you tell us how you acquired the copies?"

"I received them in my capacity as a journalist from a source I do not intend to name."

Salander stared at Teleborian. He was once more deathly pale.

"What did you do with the report?"

"I gave it to Torsten Edklinth at Constitutional Protection."

"Thank you, Mikael. Now I'd like to call Torsten Edklinth," Giannini said, taking back the report. She handed it to Judge Iversen, and the procedure with the oath was repeated.

"Superintendent Edklinth, is it correct that you received a forensic psychiatric report on Lisbeth Salander from Mikael Blomkvist?"

"Yes, it is."

"When did you receive it?"

"It was logged in at SIS on June 4."

"And this is the same report I have just handed to Judge Iversen?"

"If my signature is on the back, then it's the same one."

The judge turned over the document and saw Edklinth's signature there.

"Superintendent Edklinth, could you explain how you happened to have a forensic psychiatric report in your possession which claims to have analysed a patient who was still in isolation at Sahlgrenska?"

"Yes, I can. Dr. Teleborian's report is a sham. It was put together with the help of a person by the name of Jonas Sandberg, just as he produced a similar document in 1991 with Gunnar Bjorck."

"That's a lie," Teleborian said in a weak voice.

"Is it a lie?" Giannini said.

"No, not at all," Edklinth said. "I should perhaps mention that Jonas Sandberg is one of a dozen or so individuals who were arrested today by order of the prosecutor general. Sandberg is being held as an accomplice to the murder of Gunnar Bjorck. He is part of a criminal unit operating within the Security Police which has been protecting Alexander Zalachenko since the seventies. This same group of officers was responsible for the decision to lock up Lisbeth Salander in 1991. We have incontrovertible evidence, as well as a confession from the unit's director."

The courtroom was hushed, transfixed.

"Would Dr. Teleborian like to comment on what has just been said?" Judge Iversen asked.

Teleborian shook his head.

"In that case it is my duty to tell you that you risk being charged with perjury and possibly other counts in addition," Judge Iversen said.

"If you'll excuse me, your honour," Blomkvist said.

"Yes?"

"Dr. Teleborian has bigger problems than this. Outside the courtroom are two police officers who would like to bring him in for questioning."

"I see," the judge said. "Is it a matter which concerns this court?"

"I believe it is, your honour."

Judge Iversen gestured to the bailiff, who admitted Inspector Modig and a woman Prosecutor Ekstrom did not immediately recognize. Her name was Lisa Collsjo, and she was a criminal inspector for the special investigations division, the unit within the National Police Board responsible for investigating cases of child pornography and sexual assault on children.

"And what is your business here?" Judge Iversen said.

"We are here to arrest Peter Teleborian with your permission, and without wishing to disturb the court's proceedings."

Judge Iversen looked at Advokat Giannini.

"I'm not quite finished with him . . . but the court may have heard enough of Dr. Teleborian."

"You have my permission," Judge Iversen said to the police officers.

Collsjo walked across to Teleborian. "Peter Teleborian, you are under arrest for violation of the law on child pornography."

Teleborian sat still, hardly breathing. Giannini saw that all the light in his eyes seemed to have been extinguished.

"Specifically, for possession of approximately nine thousand pornographic photographs of children found on your computer."

She bent down to pick up his laptop, which he had brought with him.

"This is confiscated as evidence," she said.

As he was being led from the courtroom, Salander's blazing eyes bored into Teleborian's back.

CHAPTER 28

Friday, July 15-Saturday, July 16

Judge Iversen tapped his pen on the edge of his table to quell the murmuring that had arisen in the wake of Teleborian's departure. He seemed unsure how to proceed. Then he turned to Prosecutor Ekstrom.

"Do you have any comment to make to the court on what has been seen and heard in the past hour?"

Ekstrom stood up and looked at Judge Iversen and then at Edklinth before he turned his head and met Salander's unwavering gaze. He understood that the battle was lost. He glanced over at Blomkvist and realized with sudden terror that he too risked being exposed to Millennium's investigators . . . which could ruin his career.

He was at a loss to comprehend how this had happened. He had come to the trial convinced that he knew everything about the case.

He had understood the delicate balance sought by national security after his many candid talks with Superintendent Nystrom. It had been explained to him that the Salander report from 1991 had been fabricated. He had received the inside information he needed. He had asked questions--hundreds of questions--and received answers to all of them. A deception in the national interest. And now Nystrom had been arrested, according to Edklinth. He had believed in Teleborian, who had, after all, seemed so . . . so competent. So convincing.

Good Lord. What sort of a mess have I landed in?

And then, How the hell am I going to get out of it?

He stroked his goatee. He cleared his throat. Slowly he removed his glasses.

"I regret to say that it seems I ha

ve been misinformed on a number of essential points in this investigation."

He wondered if he could shift the blame onto the police investigators. Then he had a vision of Inspector Bublanski. Bublanski would never back him up. If Ekstrom made one wrong move, Bublanski would call a press conference and sink him.

Ekstrom met Salander's gaze. She was sitting there patiently, and in her eyes he read both curiosity and vengeance.

No compromises.

He could still get her convicted of aggravated assault in Stallarholmen. And he could probably get her convicted for the aggravated assault and attempted murder of her father in Gosseberga. That would mean changing his strategy immediately; he would drop everything that had anything to do with Teleborian. All claims that she was a psychopath had to go, but that meant that her story would be strengthened all the way back to 1991. The whole declaration of incompetence was bogus, and with that . . .

Plus she has that blasted film . . .

Then it struck him.

Good God. She's a victim, pure and simple.

"Judge Iversen, I believe I can no longer rely on the documents I have here in my hand."

"I suppose not," Judge Iversen said.

"I'm going to have to ask for a recess, or that the trial be suspended until I am able to make certain adjustments to my case."

"Advokat Giannini?" the judge said.

"I request that my client be at once acquitted on all counts and be released immediately. I also request that the district court take a definite position on the question of Froken Salander's declaration of incompetence. Moreover, I believe that she should be adequately compensated for the violations of her rights that have occurred."

Lisbeth Salander turned towards Judge Iversen.

No compromises.

Judge Iversen looked at Salander's autobiography. He then looked over at Prosecutor Ekstrom.

"I too believe we would be wise to investigate exactly what has happened that brings us to this sorry pass. I fear that you are probably not the right person to conduct that investigation. In all my years as a jurist and judge, I have never been party to anything even approaching the legal dilemma in this case. I confess that I am at a loss for words. I have never even heard of a case in which the prosecutor's chief witness is arrested during a court in session, or of a convincing argument turning out to be an utter fabrication. I honestly do not see what is left of the prosecutor's case."