“Can’t even get a stinking French fry in this place,” he muttered as Sam downed her small veggie sub and wondered if it really had fewer than six grams of fat. No doubt every gram would find its way to her ass.

“If you’re done sulking, we need to hit Total Fitness on Sixteenth.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Are you taking up working out to go with this diet you’re on?”

“Just because I choose to eat healthily doesn’t mean I’m on a diet. Another of the senator’s ladies works at the gym as a personal trainer.” She consulted her notebook. “Elin Svendsen.”

Freddie perked right up. “Swedish?”

“Sounds like it.”

“Blonde, buff and Swedish? This day is suddenly on the upswing.”

“Why, Freddie, I thought you were above such base human emotions as lust.”

“Just because I’m choosy doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy a little eye candy as much as the next guy.”

“This insight into the male psyche is fascinating. Truly.”

“I’m here to serve.”

Elin Svendsen was not only buff, she looked like she’d be capable of kicking some serious ass when provoked. Easily five-ten or -eleven, with white blonde hair, icy blue eyes and a figure that could stop a train dead on its tracks, Sam decided she wouldn’t want to meet up with Elin in a dark alley.

They caught her between clients and followed her into the club’s juice bar, which wasn’t due to open for another hour. They declined her offer of fruit smoothies.

“Do you mind if I make one for myself? My energy is starting to flag. Been a long morning.”

“Not at all,” Sam said. “Do you mind if we record this?”

“Nope.”

Noticing Freddie had his eyes glued to Elin’s every movement, Sam nudged him to get his head back in the game.

He replied with a chagrinned smile.

Elin joined them at the table with a strawberry smoothie. “If you’re here to ask if I killed John O’Connor, I didn’t.”

“Where were you the night of the murder, between ten p.m. and seven a.m.?”

“I had a date and was home by two or so.”

“Alone?”

She nodded.

“Your date’s name?”

“Jimmy Chen. He’s a member here. We go out once in a while. No biggie.”

“You never left your house after you got home?”

“Not until I left for work the next morning.”

“Where did you meet the senator?”

“Here. He hired me to train him, we hit it off, one thing led to another…”

“And how long ago was this?”

“Three or four months ago.” Sam did some quick math and realized he was seeing Elin and Tara at the same time.

“Do you have a key to his apartment?”