Original Sin by Allison Brennan Page B

stepped forward from behind the sheriff. Moira shielded her eyes from the light and squinted. She could see no details, but the way he moved was familiar, like a big, caged cat.
    The sheriff reached out to grab him. “Wait, Anthony—”
    Anthony brushed off her hand and quickly approached Moira, stopping only a foot from her. Disbelief and anger rolled off him in palpable waves.
    Anthony Zaccardi. Though she knew he was in town, she was still stunned to see him again after all this time. The towering demonologist’s middle name could have been Intimidation .
    “Moira O’Donnell.” He spoke the name as if it were a curse. “I should have known where there is trouble from the underworld, you would be nearby, puttana.”
    “Prick.”
    She held her ground, though Anthony’s hostility put her on edge. He hadn’t liked her even before she’d killed Peter. If Father Philip hadn’t been there, Moira was absolutely certain Anthony would have killed her that same night.
    “What did you do?” Anthony glanced briefly at Abby’s body, then his gaze focused on her.
    Sheriff McPherson walked over to the body and, careful not to disturb anything or turn her back to Moira, bent down to feel for a pulse. “Shit,” she mumbled. “You said you were here with Jared Santos? Where is he? I want the God’s honest truth. What happened here? Were you drinking? Getting high?”
    “Summoning demons?” Anthony whispered.
    Moira said, “We thought Jared’s girlfriend, Lily Ellis, was coming here. We found Abby instead of Lily.”
    “You know Abby Weatherby?” Skye asked as she approached, standing beside Anthony.
    “Not personally.”
    “Anthony?” Skye asked. “Do you know this woman? Can you vouch for her?”
    “Vouch? I can vouch that she’s a killer.”
    “Fuck off,” Moira snapped. “Look around, Zaccardi. I didn’t do this, and you damn well know it. And Sheriff, this has nothing to do with kids getting high or drunk; Abby died because she was sacrificed . Lily Ellis is missing. We think she came here to try and talk Abby out of the coven, but—”
    “Coven?” Anthony shook his head. “That sounds familiar—something you know really well. What was your part in it? Or are you going to pretend you were possessed again?”
    “Pretend? You bastard!” She swung her arm out to slap him. He grabbed her wrist and squeezed so tightly she thought her bone would snap. She kicked him in the shin and he let go, wincing. She turned and walked several feet away. She had to control her temper around Anthony. It would get her in trouble.
    “That’s enough!” Skye said. “Anthony, let me ask the questions, okay?”
    Anthony backed off.
    Skye radioed for the coroner, crime scene unit, and backup. She glanced at Moira, then added into her mic, “Call Deputy Santos. He’s off-duty. Patch him through to me when you reach him. Over.”
    Skye shot Anthony a glare, then asked Moira, “Do you have some identification?”
    Moira pulled out her wallet from the inside pocket of her leather jacket and held it out. Skye retrieved it, opened the flap, and saw her passport. “You’re from Ireland.”
    “Yes.”
    “You’ve traveled a lot.”
    She shrugged.
    “Student visa. Olivet in Pinesdale? Where’s that?”
    “Montana,” Moira said.
    Anthony grabbed the passport and took a close look at her entry date. “You’ve been here for six months!”
    “I’ve been in Santa Louisa for a week, but yeah, in America for six months.” This time.
    Skye retrieved the passport from Anthony. There was an ease and familiarity between the two. Why was he with Skye in the middle of the night? Interesting.
    She raised an eyebrow and gave Anthony a cocky half-smile. “So Santa Louisa has a demonologist on the payroll?”
    “No one has to answer to you,” Anthony snapped.
    “Excuse me.” Skye motioned for Anthony to follow her. Moira couldn’t help but grin. She had to like anyone who stood up to the arrogant demonologist. Peter had