Fruitcake

With the surefooted ease of one who's walked the walk, Kaiser (Payback) draws from his years as an attorney to pen a tale that dances across the California terrain from L.A. to Sacramento. Attorney Gabe Rose, who's flat broke and has fled the county for bashing in his partner's head after catching him in bed with his wife, agrees to shop-sit a friend's law office in a sleazy Sacramento neighborhood while his friend is on his honeymoon. Gabe's first client is Del Pritchard, a wealthy eccentric who is murdered hours after leaving Gabe with a box of seemingly worthless bank statements and $25,000 in uncashable retainer checks. The only way Gabe can investigate Del's murder--and earn his fee--is to enlist the aid of Margot Girard, Del's cousin and executor of his estate. While the two don't trust each other at first, a fine romance develops. Kaiser adds to this delightful romantic mystery a quirky supporting cast, among whom are Margo's beefy neighbor, a Native American hit man and Gabe's darling baby daughter. (Mar.)