Grey Expectations Read Online Free PDF

Dulcie was now compelled to wade through what felt like an ocean of other political writings, and that’s where she’d got bogged down.
    â€˜It’s like my reward is to read more drudgery,’ she complained to the kitten. Esmé flipped her head and pinned her with one green eye. ‘You’re right, Esmé,’ Dulcie told her. ‘I shouldn’t be worrying about my own work when my friend is in trouble.’
    The kitten mewed softly and flipped over, and for the life of her Dulcie couldn’t tell if the little beast was reacting to the Chinese food or making a comment on her person’s ability to avoid unpleasant work.
    â€˜Well, it’s not like I don’t have the best excuse in the world,’ Dulcie said. Esmé watched her head to the kitchen, but wisely declined to comment.

FIVE
    â€˜ S uze, she’s not the sort to panic.’ It wasn’t really a question where Dulcie’s obligations lay, and after a longing look at her papers, she had reached Suze on her cell. Although it was after nine, her former room-mate was in the Coop. She’d been in line to pick up her graduation gown and her requisite Doctor of Laws collar – the student-centric store stayed open late as Commencement drew close – but she’d stepped between the racks to give some impromptu legal advice. ‘Trista’s as tough as they come.’
    â€˜What? Sorry, you go ahead.’ Suze tended to multitask, but this was asking a lot. ‘But, Dulcie, you said the police didn’t charge her, right? They didn’t even say specifically why they were there?’
    â€˜No, I mean, yes. That’s right.’ Even sitting in her living room, Dulcie could get flustered. It didn’t help that Esmé had shaken off the effects of the spicy dumplings and was practically doing backflips with her new toy mouse, her white paws acting like little semaphore flags in the fading light. ‘She said they just asked her about her relationship with Roland, whatever that means.’
    Suze made a noise that suggested she had her own ideas, and Dulcie bit her lip. Especially as graduation grew near, Suze had gotten a little less tolerant of some of her one-time roomie’s friends – though never with Dulcie herself. For a moment, Dulcie thought of Esmé and her own impatience, but the kitten had rocketed out of the room, leaving her person in the growing gloom.
    â€˜Suze, she and Jerry were just going through a phase.’ Ever since meeting Ariano the previous summer, Suze had become a big fan of monogamy. ‘And, besides, that isn’t the cops’ concern.’
    â€˜Hang on.’ Dulcie heard shuffling and imagined her tall, athletic friend shrugging into the long, black gown. Three weeks, and Suze would no longer be a student. For Dulcie, with at least a year – minimum – ahead, the idea was almost incomprehensible. So much had changed since they’d met in sophomore year. ‘Hey, did you hear the Kenyan ambassador is going to be one of the honorees? Sorry, so go through it again. What exactly did she tell you the police said?’
    Dulcie noted how Suze had qualified her question. Her friend was going to be a wonderful advocate, but right now it was a little annoying. For what felt like the fourteenth time, she ran through everything that had happened – everything that Trista had said had happened, she corrected herself. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a feline shape jump up to the window sill and begin to groom. The image was comforting. Some things did stay the same. ‘And then they told her not to leave town.’
    â€˜Huh.’ Suze’s tone said it all. ‘Somehow, I doubt a police detective said that.’
    â€˜What do you mean?’ The cat, silhouetted against the window, looked larger than Esmé. In the late afternoon light, the long guard hairs almost glowed.
    â€˜I think your friend has an active