"The getting-to-be-important part…"
"Yeah. And to tell you the truth, if there was going to be a big hot kiss, I thought Fell'd be getting it. I thought you'd be going out to the Islands with her."
"Nah. She's New York, I'm not. Besides…"
"What?"
"There really aren't any Islands, are there?"
She looked away from him, thinking of Petty and Kennett. "No," she said after a minute, "I guess not."
There was another moment, and she stuck out her hand.
"Give me a fuckin' break, Rothenburg," Lucas said, and leaned into her and kissed her on the lips, almost, but not quite, chastely. He turned and started through the security check. "If you get another Bekker, give me a whistle. You know…?"
"Yeah, yeah. Jesus," she said, not quite believing him. A tiny smile crinkled the corner of her mouth. "I do know how to whistle."