The courtroom was hushed, transfixed.
“Would Herr Teleborian like to comment on what has just been said?” Judge Iversen said.
Teleborian shook his head.
“In that case it is my duty 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?”
“Herr Teleborian has bigger problems than this. Outside the courtroom are two police officers who would like to bring him 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, 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 Herr Teleborian.”
“You have my permission,” Judge Iversen said to the police officers.
Collsjo walked across to the witness box. “Peter Teleborian, you are under arrest for violation of the law on child pornography.”
Teleborian sat still, hardly breathing. Giannini saw that all light seemed to have been extinguished in his eyes.
“Specifically, for possession of approximately eight thousand pornographic photographs of children found on your computer.”
She bent down to pick up his laptop case, 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
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
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.
And then,
He stroked his goatee. He cleared his throat. Slowly he removed his glasses.
“I regret to say that it seems I have been misinformed on a number of essential points in this investigation.”
He wondered if he could shift the blame on to 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.
He could still get her convicted of grievous bodily harm in Stallarholmen. And he could probably get her convicted for the 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…
Then it struck him.
“Judge Iverson… 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 adequately be compensated for the violations of her rights that have occurred.”
Lisbeth Salander turned towards Judge Iversen.
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 quite convincing argument turning out to be an utter fabrication. I honestly do not see what is left of the prosecutor’s case.”
Palmgren cleared his throat.
“Yes?” Iversen said.
“As a representative for the defence, I can only share your feelings. Sometimes one must step back and allow common sense to guide the formal procedures. I’d like to state that you, in your capacity as judge, have seen only the first stage of a scandal that is going to rock the whole establishment. Today ten police officers from within Sapo have been arrested. They will be charged with murder and a list of crimes so long that it will take quite some time to draw up the report.”
“I presume that I must decide on a suspension of this trial.”
“If you’ll excuse me for saying so, I think that would be an unfortunate decision.”
“I’m listening.”
“Lisbeth Salander is innocent. Her ‘fantastical’ autobiography, as Herr Ekstrom so contemptuously dismissed it, is in fact true. And it can all be proven. She has suffered an outrageous violation of her rights. As a court we
