Thirteen year old Jamie Reston is still recovering from the death of her father when another loss threatens her. Atticus, a champion show Golden Retriever, saved her from the darkest days after her father's death when he helped her find happiness again. But now, because he is the most valuable dog she owns, Atticus' owner is forced to sell him in order to save her kennel from bankruptcy. For Jamie, the unthinkable is for Atticus to be snatched from her life. Desperate to not lose him, Jamie does the unthinkable. During the night, she sneaks Atticus from his kennel and hides him in a shack deep in the woods so he will miss the flight to take him to his new owner. To Jamie's surprise, the whole town gets involved in the search for Atticus, including a boy she's had a crush on all year. Her simple plan spirals out of control and becomes a complicated mess. Before she has a chance to decide how to handle the situation, Atticus' life is threatened. Now Jamie fears she may not only lose him, but that Atticus will die because of her foolish decision to take matters into her own hands.