Chapter 30
Zion Encampment, Wyoming - July 1874
Buck crouched low at the tree line, his gaze fixed on the settlement nestled in the valley below. The Mormon encampment. It wasn't his first choice, not by a long shot.
Sunriver hadn't yielded any answers. The sheriff, while tight-lipped about the Mormons, hadn't mentioned anything suspicious. He'd even begrudgingly acknowledged their peaceful nature – "so far," he'd muttered, a hint of unease coloring his words.
For Buck, Mormons were an enigma. He'd grown up among the Kiowa, where a chief having multiple wives wasn't unusual. But the whispers he'd heard in Sunriver painted a different picture – a picture of fear and disgust. Townsfolk spoke of "multiple wives" with a venom that went beyond disapproval. Several, with wide eyes and trembling voices, had spun tales of kidnapping and forced servitude.
He scoffed inwardly at the kidnapping claims. They reeked of panicked rumors more than reality. But other whispers, about Mormon violence, resonated with the newspaper articles he'd skimmed years ago – articles about the Mormon Militia. Most Mormons had migrated to Utah by now, these scattered settlements the remnants of a bygone era. But if Gabrielle was here, he had no choice.
With a resigned sigh, Buck secured his hair with a leather thong, adjusted his hat, and swung himself onto his horse. The Mormon encampment awaited, a necessary stop in his desperate search. He hoped the rumors were just that – rumors. But he was prepared for whatever awaited him.