[i]Allyn has rolled [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/rolls/28940]a 7 to Notice.[/url][/i]

He attemps to say something snappy when he answers the phone, but all he can manage is a mumbled greeting. That doesn't dissuade Marcus, though--as the old man begins to ramble, Allyn fumbles with his coat pockets until he finds a dog-eared notepad and pen. He continues to make [color=d1653a]"mmm"[/color] and [color=d1653a]"mmm-hmm"[/color] noises as he jots down the details.

[color=d1653a][i]- Marcus = gravetender
- Needs sub. keeper; 'ext. circumstances'?
- Usual sub. (who?) not avail.
- Tonight
- [u]$2k cash???[/u][/i][/color]

He underlines that last item a couple more times, letting silence fill the line. That's... a lot of money.

On the one hand, the whole situation strikes him as suspicious. He hasn't exactly made himself popular in town over the last few months; the locals haven't run him out or anything, but no one is tripping over themselves to invite him to their house for dinner--or hire him for part-time work. 

On the other hand, this [i]is[/i] about the most anyone has reached out to him since he came to town and started asking questions. Even if Marcus doesn't know anything interesting, it couldn't hurt to improve his relationship with someone who's been here for over forty years. (And, frankly, his inability to find anything intersting to report on so far hasn't helped his viewership numbers--$2,000 cash would be a nice cushion all on its own.) 

[color=d1653a]"Well, Marcus,"[/color] he finally responds, [color=d1653a]"I'm interested. But why me?"[/color] It's a fair enough question, he figures.