Cardston, Alberta, is the setting for Kenyon Blackmore’s return to his birthplace after prison and his troubled attempt to reconnect with his oldest daughter, Lena. Described as a hub of Canadian Mormonism, the town briefly brings father and daughter together before their relationship breaks down and Kenyon leaves again for Mexico.

Return to His Birthplace

After his release from prison in late 1991, Kenyon returned to Cardston, the town where he was born. By then, his wife Annie had filed for divorce. He nevertheless made an effort to reunite with Lena, who was living there.

A Strained Reunion

Lena tried to give her father the benefit of the doubt, but she was uncomfortable around Gwendolyn, the wife who had supplanted Annie, and the two children Kenyon and Gwendolyn had by then. Lena was also troubled by how they were raising those children, including their unusual diet and the absence of ordinary hygiene practices.

The Truck Dispute and Departure

The relationship deteriorated when Kenyon offered to make payments and cover insurance on Lena’s new truck in exchange for using it. He drove it away but did not make the promised payments; Lena learned of the problem when the bank threatened repossession. She contacted the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who alerted Kenyon’s probation officer, and a warrant was issued. When Kenyon learned he was wanted again, he fled south with Gwendolyn and their children to his former hideaway, Colonia LeBaron. Cardston thus marks a short-lived return to family ties, followed by a renewed flight from legal consequences.