Gumbo Mambo — a murder mystery

The Florida Gulf Coast, with its sun-drenched beaches and tranquil shores, was the ideal backdrop for the respite that Danny Gumbo, a world-weary private investigator, desperately sought. He had recently relocated to the coastal town in an attempt to leave behind the chaos of city life. But trouble had a way of finding him, even in the most idyllic of settings.

One sultry evening, as Danny watched the sun dip below the horizon from his beachfront bungalow, his phone buzzed with an incoming call. He sighed, recognizing the number as that of Detective Laura Henderson, the relentless officer he had crossed paths with more times than he could count.

“Mr. Gumbo, we’ve got a situation,” Laura’s voice was as no-nonsense as ever.

“What’s the problem, Henderson?” Danny asked, resigned to the fact that his solitude was once again interrupted.

“We have a missing person case,” Laura explained. “A wealthy businessman named Richard Kensington has disappeared, along with millions of dollars in cash. His wife thinks he’s been murdered.”

Danny raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite himself. “Millions in cash, huh? That’s not your run-of-the-mill disappearance. What do you need from me?”

Laura briefed him on the case. Richard Kensington was a successful entrepreneur, known for his…