idea

In the early 1900s, Santa Fe, New Mexico, a young girl disappears from her family ranch. Her parents search frantically for her, to no avail. They put up a reward for the little girl's return. Weeks after her disappearance, a girl is found with an old cowboy near Amarillo who fits her description. The cowboy claims she is his adopted daughter, but the police don't believe him and he is sentenced to life in prison for kidnapping.

Almost 100 years later, the little girl's granddaughter sets out to try to discover whether or not her grandmother really was the woman whose name she grew up to have.

The past and present are intercut to show the 100 year old mystery and the present day sleuth.