“Yes, I want to watch people when they hear about Sonny. Maybe we can learn something that way.”
Hannah gave a little nod. Andrea was beginning to think like a detective. “We won’t be able to see the contestants unless we stand backstage and peek out.”
“That’s true, but we can do that, can’t we?”
“Of course we can. It’s like a stage back there and they don’t open the curtains until there’s a live performance of some kind. Follow me and I’ll show you where we can stand.”
Hannah led them out of the buffet room and into the hallway. She opened a door and motioned for Andrea to follow her through into the dim interior. “Backstage,” she said in a voice as soft as a whisper. “As long as we’re quiet, no one will know we’re here.”
Quietly, Hannah moved two chairs over to the curtain. There was a slight split between the start of the curtain and the wall behind it. “Sit here,” she said, indicating one of the chairs. “I’ll go sit on the other side. I watched Sally from back here when she sang with the Cinnamon Roll Five last year.”
“I wish I’d known. I would have come back here with you,” Andrea said.
Once Andrea and Hannah had taken their chairs and learned exactly which vantage point to use to see the buffet room, Lonnie climbed up the steps to the podium that sat on the apron of the stage.
As if by magic, all conversation ceased as Lonnie cleared his throat. “Okay, sit down and relax, everyone,” he said. “I have several important announcements to make.”
There was a slight sound, and Hannah turned to see Mike standing behind her. He held his finger to his lips, pulled up a chair beside her, and then found a slit in the curtain where he could see.
Hannah motioned to Andrea, and her sister nodded. Mike wanted both of them to be quiet and listen as Lonnie began to speak.
“My first announcement concerns Sonny Bowman,” Lonnie told them. “Joey will be taking Sonny’s place from now on. Wally just called here from his Brainerd store and he’s going to arrive tonight in time for happy hour in Dick’s bar to answer any other questions you might have.”
“Where’s Sonny?” someone at one of the tables asked, and Hannah recognized the blonde’s husband, George Coulter.
“Sonny was taken to Doc Knight’s hospital yesterday afternoon and he won’t be back for this tournament. Wally wanted me to tell you that he’s coming here to answer any questions you might have.”
“Is it serious?” someone asked.
“Yes, but I’m not authorized to answer any more questions about Mr. Bowman’s condition. I just wanted you to know that Joey and Wally will be running the tournament from now on.”
There was silence for a moment and then someone asked, “Will Joey be doing the weigh-ins?”
“Yes, and the protocol will remain the same. And here’s a little bit of good news . . .” Lonnie stopped speaking as several people clapped. “I’m going to let Joey tell you himself. It’s pretty amazing, if you ask me. And after you hear what Joey has to say, you’ll be really glad you’re a contestant!”
There was applause as Lonnie climbed down the steps and Joey took the place behind the podium. “Lonnie’s right! Two people in this room are going to be very, very lucky winners because Wally has added two more prizes!”
There were several whistles of approval and Joey laughed. “I’ll tell you this . . . I wish I’d signed up!”
“We don’t!” someone shouted out. “You’re an expert and you’re not allowed to compete.”
“Thank you, Captain Obvious,” Joey responded with a big smile. “I know I’m not Sonny, but I do know a lot about fishing for Walleye.”
“You probably know more than Sonny ever did,” one of the wives responded.
“Thank you for the vote of confidence,” Joey said, smiling at her. “The other bit of information I have for you is the news that Stan Jordan won the weigh-in last night. Sorry that I didn’t get the chance to tell you at dinner. And I want all of you to know that Barry Withers has offered to operate the rescue boat that’ll go out after the noon weigh-in and the evening weigh-in to release the fish.”
“Thanks, Barry!” someone shouted, and everyone began to applaud. Hannah smiled at the proud look on Barry’s face. She knew that Barry was on vacation from the University of Minnesota, where he was enrolled in the pre-med program. Since the Withers family didn’t have that much money, Barry had applied for every scholarship he could find, and the U of M was paying for his tuition.
“That’s about all I have except for the biggest news, and I saved that for last.”
“That figures,” Joe Dietz said, and everyone laughed.
“Thanks, Joe. And thanks to Joe’s son-in-law Mark, for helping me with the weigh-in last night.”
“What’s the big news?” someone shouted out.
“Tell us, Joey,” someone else shouted.
“I will. It’s just that it’s such big news, I want all of you to put down your water, or whatever you’re drinking, so you don’t spill when I tell you.”
There was a chorus of laughs, but Hannah could see that everyone did exactly what Joey wanted them to do.
“Thanks,” Joey said. “I talked to Wally right before the lunch buffet opened and he told me something that knocked my socks off.”
“What is it?!” one of the fishermen said, and then there was complete silence. Everyone was waiting for Joey to tell them about the prize.
“Instead of just one custom fishing boat for the winner, Wally wants to award another custom boat for second place. Isn’t that fantastic?”
There was stunned silence for the space of several seconds, and then the entire audience of contestants broke into applause.
“What about the other prize,” someone yelled from the back of the room.
“I’m glad you asked,” Joey said. “You all know Wally’s sitting on a lot of cash . . . right?”
“What do you mean?” someone else asked.
“You’ll find out exactly what I mean when you come to happy hour tonight. Wally will be there and we’re having a drawing. The lucky winner will receive all the cash Wally has in his wallet!”
Someone in the back yelled, “Woo hoo!” and there was a burst of applause.
“How about the second person in the boat, the contestant’s helper?” one of the wives asked.
“The helpers will get tickets for the drawing, too. And if one of them wins, they’ll be awarded the cash.”
There was a burst of applause from the wives and helpers.
“Thank you,” Joey responded with a smile. “And there’s something else I should tell you. Wally was so grateful to Barry Withers for offering to drive the fish release boat after each weigh-in, he’s going to foot the bill for the remainder of Barry’s pre-med program.”