The Girl Who Played With the Dragon Tattoo's Nest

Chapter 5

Heartsick chuckled. "That's not the only twist to our arrangement you have to look forward to, Bonkvist."

"What did you say?"

"Oh, uh, I said, 'Holy twist, I'm estranged from my book oar-ward, too.'"

"That makes absolutely no sense, but I'm not going to get suspicious at all."

Heartsick turned. "And here are my files on my missing niece."

A flatbed truck beeped as it backed up to the shed. The bed tipped over, dumping a mountain of papers and folders onto Marty Stu. It took him several minutes to dig himself out, coughing and spitting out paper clips.

"With all this," Marty Stu gagged, "you expect me to find something new?"

Heartsick held up his cane. "I'm an optimist. I'm also slightly insane. Now, in case anyone asks what you're doing here, I want you to tell them you're working on my biography."

Marty Stu shrugged. "Why don't I just tell them the truth? Do you really think they would try to stop me, considering the mystery hasn't been solved in forty years?"

"Perhaps. But the real important thing is that I'm insane. Come, let's meet the suspects, also known as my family."

Marty Stu shook papers off himself, and followed the old man as they walked down the main road running through the island.

Heartsick pointed to a small house. "That is the home of Herald Avenger, my brother. He's an alcoholic and former Nazi. You won't see much of him, but be suspicious of him nonetheless. My other brother Gottevil Avenger, and Harried's father, used to live over there before he drowned mysteriously in a way that I haven't taken the time to investigate. Over there is the house of Murderin Avenger, my nephew and Harried's brother. He took over the Avenger Corporation when I retired, and is the most trustworthy of all my family, certainly no one I would suspect of being behind Harried's disappearance."

Marty Stu nodded as he wrote it down. "Okay."

Heartsick pointed at an old woman sitting on a park bench, pulling the wings off flies. "That's Evilbella, Harried's mother. I haven't spoken to her since the day she said, 'One day I'm going to kidnap Harried from this island and you'll never see her again.' I think she might be involved in some small way with the mystery."

Marty Stu took more notes.

They walked on as Heartsick pointed at a cafe. "That is Susie's Burning Bridge Cafe, the only place in Hedestad to get anything to eat."

"Do they have sandwiches?"

"That's what I meant."

"Of course."

Heartsick walked on with a nod. "You'll probably be having an affair with Susie. And this is Seducia, Herald's daughter and my other beloved niece, although not as beloved as Harried and certainly not beloved enough to put her above suspicion."

A woman in her forties walked up to them. "Hello, Uncle Heartsick."

"Hello, Not-Harried."

They kissed each other on the cheek.

Seducia looked at Marty Stu. "Who's this?"

Marty Stu held out his hand. "I'm Marty Stu Bonkvist."

Seducia raised her eyebrows. "Oh, the journalist who was convicted of libel against Weinerstorm."

"How did you hear about it?"

"It's been front-page news all week."

He threw up his hands. "Again, why do so many people care? I'm a nobody!"