Pearl Kelly has high hopes as President of the Middle Pass Goat Club. In the first event she organizes—a 4-H showmanship contest at the Skunk Cabbage Festival—a prized goat mysteriously disappears. Determined to find the goat, Pearl embarks on a relentless search, enlisting the help of friends and engaging with the local sheriff's department, often to their consternation.
When Pearl delves deeper into the case, she is forced to face the memory of a past relationship. She also encounters a shocking twist in her investigation, complicating the mystery further. After her troubled niece moves in and takes a job at a petting zoo, Pearl's suspicions about the owner grow. With no resolution in sight, Pearl devises a risky plan to lure the thief to her farm, which leads to an unexpected confrontation.
As clues come together, Pearl convinces the sheriff to attend the Rhododendron Festival, where she intends to confront the thief and bring closure to the case. Throughout her adventures, Pearl's loyal Pomeranian, Buckley, remains a steadfast companion, adding warmth and humor to her investigative journey.