 Laura Spaeth decides to leave her workaholic husband Ted just before Christmas. She takes their 6-year-old daughter Julie and leaves to spend the night at the Brentwood Motor Lodge before going on to spend Christmas at her sister s home. Julie is discovered missing from their cabin on Christmas Eve morning. Laura calls the Highway Patrol and Dan Mathews and Sergeant Corey initially grapple with a series of false leads. Ultimately, Dan deduces that Julie left the lodge on her own to mail her letter to Santa Claus. He decides to focus the search on any costume-wearing "Santas" in the area. Dan s hunch proves correct when Julie wanders to a nearby rescue mission and asks the bell-ringing "Santa" for help.