Jade was wearing a pale blue dress; the hem was just shy of the floor, and that was with high heels. Rich looked smart but slightly uncomfortable in a dark suit and plain tie. Halford—as ever—looked as though he might have slept in his suit. He seemed totally relaxed, a contrast to Jade and Rich’s palpable nervousness. “The White House, yeah?” the uniformed driver checked, calling back through the sliding smoked-glass partition. He made it sound like any other destination. “West Wing,” Halford confirmed. “Sure thing. You British? Love that accent.” “I don’t have an accent,” Halford told him, closing the partition. Chuck White had arranged for them to arrive early so he could greet them in person. He was waiting for them when they arrived, wearing his dark suit. Rich could see the arm of his sunglasses poking out of his top pocket. “On duty?” Rich asked. “Sort of. Never off duty when I’m at the office, but I’m also a guest at the reception.” “Is that unusual?”
