Normally, Agnasci would eagerly accept the offer Harper had made. After all, carousing with strangers is what he does best. Tonight, however, all he wants is to be left alone.
The cash Agnasci had stuffed in the pockets of his leather jacket, and the clothes he was wearing, are the only things Agnasci had left in the world. He walks toward Tuxedo Springs, feeling a small pang of regret for dumping Rachel. It sure would be nice to have a place to rest right now, but that bridge was burned. He doubts she would even answer if he called.
Might as well give it a try.
He reaches for his phone, and with a sudden surge of panic, realizes it's gone. Mad Dog still has my phone!
There is only one thing to be done. He has to report his phone missing. But not to the police, that would raise too much suspicion. He will talk to the phone company tomorrow, and say he lost it. Hopefully that would be enough to convince the police, on the off chance they considered Mad Dog's death a homicide. He wasn't too worried about Big Rich, either. His type didn't talk to police, and it was a good bet that he knew someone (of dubious character) with a generic handcuff key to unbind him.
But maybe Agnasci's just being optimistic. He considers the possibility, true to the spirit of his Path. A Mastigos does not delude himself. If he were really honest to himself, he must admit that he and the others may be in for some serious legal trouble.
Agnasci considers leaving town. It would solve more than one problem, of course. The only thing keeping him here is Penrose. What would he do, without his mentor? His gift would shrivel and wilt. As much as Penrose annoys him, Agnasci can't deny that he is not yet strong enough to leave the nest, so to speak.
Agnasci will just have to face his demons, for once.
As he nears Tuxedo Springs, he turns the street before the entrance to the trailer park, on a dead-end road leading to a dingy, shady motel. It's the kind of place that rents rooms by the hour. His kind of place.
