“I wish I knew. After a few times, it changed. He became rough, almost aggressive. And he wanted…things…that I’m not into.”

“What kind of things?”

“Is this really necessary?”

“I’m sorry, but it is.”

“He…”

“I know this is terribly difficult for you, Ms. Davenport, but we’re looking for a killer. Anything you can tell us that will aid in our investigation is relevant.”

Tara took another moment to collect herself. “He wanted bondage and…anal.”

“Did you have anal sex with the senator, Ms. Davenport?”

“No! I said no! I don’t do that. I’m not into that.”

“And how did he take it when you refused him?”

“He was mad, but he didn’t try to force me.”

“Honorable,” Freddie muttered. “Did you see him again after you refused?”

She shook her head. “I never heard from him again.”

“How did you feel about that?” Sam asked.

“I was sad, devastated. I thought we had something special, and then it was just…over. Like you said. For a few weeks, I felt like Cinderella. It was right out of a fairy tale.”

“But he wasn’t your Prince Charming,” Freddie said.

“No.”

“Did he ever ask you about bringing other people into your sexual relationship?” Sam asked.

Tara’s face lit up, her cheeks flaming. Bingo.

“Ms. Davenport?”

“Once,” she said softly. “He said it would be amazing for me to have two guys at the same time.” A shudder rippled through Tara’s petite frame.

“Did it seem to you that he’d done that before?”

“Yes.”

“And you said what to this request?”

“I told him that I was perfectly satisfied with just him. He seemed annoyed that I said no.”

“That must’ve been disappointing,” Sam said.

“It was.”

“Were you disappointed enough to kill him, Ms. Davenport?”

She blanched. “Kill him? You think I killed him?”

Her shock was so genuine that it all but knocked her off the list of suspects. “If you could just answer the question.”

“No, I wasn’t disappointed enough to kill him. I didn’t kill him.”

“Have you told anyone else about why your relationship with the senator ended?”

“No. It’s not something I’d ever talk about with even my closest friends. It’s mortifying, to be honest.”

“How did you feel when you heard he was dead?”

“Sad. I was overwhelmed with sadness. But to be honest, I wasn’t entirely surprised that someone killed him. If you treat people the way he treated me, it’s going to catch up to you eventually.”

“I need you to stay available and in town for the time being.”

“I’m working through the holidays,” she said, her voice flat, devoid of hope or animation. “I’ll be here.”

“I have trouble understanding his type,” Freddie said when they left the restaurant.

“You would. Do you think he was gay?”

“And in the closet? Working it out on women?”