Ernie Harding may have stolen Margie Kinnard's savings, but he didn't shatter her dreams of going to California to become a movie star. Help arrives from an unexpected source: Margie's long lost father. Newly widowed, he's westward bound himself and offers Margie a ride.

Soon after the two set off, they form a caravan with fellow travelers heading for the Golden State. Then the unthinkable happens. Ernie Harding reappears, and days later, Margie's father dies. Did he pass away peacefully in his sleep, or is Ernie guilty of more than petty theft? And will Margie's dreams of Hollywood get sidetracked by Brady Hoyt, the handsome rancher who's taken on the role of her protector?