Free Depraved 2 by Bryan Smith Page B

predominant one being diarrhea-brown. Arlene lifted her head off a thin pillow and groaned again as Sienna approached the bed with great reluctance, walking slowly after setting her backpack on the floor just inside the door.
    The woman was only some dozen years her senior, but she looked decades older than that. Her hair was frizzy and brittle and had fallen out in clumps from a scalp dotted with raw-looking scabs. Her skin was a disturbing shade of gray. The legs were the worst, emaciated with badly atrophied muscles. She had been paralyzed below the waist for years, but the advanced state of deterioration was well beyond anything Sienna had expected. Delmont could face charges of neglect for letting this happen. Even in a place as backwards as Bedford, you had to face the music if this kind of thing came to light. For that to happen, however, someone would have to alert the authorities.
    And Sienna had no intention of doing that.
    She had no idea who would have legal control over this property with her cousin out of the picture, but it wouldn’t be anyone inclined to do her any favors. The truth behind Arlene’s “accident” was well-known within the family. Delmont had tossed her down the stairs after a drunken late night argument about his fooling around with Jodi. Arlene, being a typical codependent alcoholic herself, had covered for him, saving him from legal consequences. Sienna was pretty sure that wouldn’t be possible this time, which might lead to the law taking a closer look at the previous incident. And if that happened, she really would be permanently cast out of the Baker clan, which, yeah, would make staying here problematic.
    Arlene coughed and hacked up a huge wad of green phlegm that spattered the front of her already slime-encrusted gown. She braced her palms on the mattress and her scrawny arms shook as she struggled to raise her torso. There were tears in her beseeching eyes as she looked at Sienna and said, “Please…help…please…”
    Sienna forced a smile. “Oh, I’ll help you.”
    More tears from the pitifully withered woman. “Oh, thank you. Thank Jesus.”
    Sienna infused her voice with the most sincere-sounding fake sympathy she could muster. “Don’t strain yourself, you poor thing. You’ve been through a lot, but it’ll all be better soon. Lie back and close your eyes. I’ll take care of everything.”
    Arlene sniffled as she ceased struggling to sit up. “Bless you, child. Bless you.” Some more hacking and coughing followed this outpouring of gratitude.. She then heaved a rattling breath and said, “You’re Jodi’s sister, aren’t you? What do they call you?”
    “Sienna.”
    A weary smile dimpled the corners of Arlene’s mouth. “Yes. That’s right. I remember now. Such a lovely name. Sienna?”
Sienna cocked an eyebrow. “Yes?”
    Instead of a reply, more hacking and coughing ensued. This time it was coming from deep in the woman’s lungs. She was having tremendous difficulty bringing up whatever she was trying to expel (an actual chunk of lung, from the sound of it). Her eyes got big and she appeared to have trouble breathing for a long moment. Rather than rushing to help, Sienna stayed at the foot of the bed and watched Arlene struggle, thinking what a huge favor the busted-up old bitch would be doing her by expiring right here and now. But then a yellow froth bubbled out of her mouth and she subsequently spat out an enormous wad of phlegm.
    Sienna grimaced. “Ew.”
    Arlene’s whole body shivered. “Oh, lord. Almost thought I was done for that time.”
    Sienna nodded. “It did sound bad.”
    Arlene managed to raise her head a little. “Baby girl, I have to ask you a question. Hate to put you on the spot like this, but…”
    Sienna smiled. “Ask me anything, Arlene.”
    “Do you know where my husband’s been keeping himself lately? He ain’t been around in weeks.” She sniffled as she began to tear up. “I was starting to worry something might’ve