Slippery character getting into free love (3)
I believe the answer is:
eel
'slippery character' is the definition.
(eel can mean a slippery person)
'into free love' is the wordplay.
'into' says the answer is hidden in the clue.
'EEL' is hidden within 'free love'.
'getting' is the link.
(Other definitions for eel that I've seen before include "Elongated fish" , "User of electric organ" , "Wriggly fish" , "Proverbially slippery fish" , "Slithery fish" .)