#1: Thick as Thieves

It's no secret that Andrea Carter would rather ride her beloved palomino, Taffy, than do anything else. Now Taffy's having her first foal, and Andi can't wait to train it to become as good a companion as its mother. The only distraction from those delightful plans is the fear that something may go wrong. When her foaling fears are realized, Andi is grateful for her brother Chad's intervention. It looks like smooth sailing from now on!

Unfortunately, life as a teenager might not be all fun and games after all. There's a new girl at school assigned to sit beside Andi—but Macy Walker is nothing like the other girls. She's homeless and ill-bred, and her mistakes do more than make Andi uncomfortable; they put her life in danger. Meanwhile, cattle rustlers have suddenly descended on the Valley and the Circle C ranch is a target. These outlaws mean business—and their business is theft.

When the thieves change from stealing cattle to stealing horses, it means heartbreaking loss for Andi. Her unpleasant classmate Macy may hold the key to getting Taffy's foal back. Can Andi trust Macy to do the right thing? Does she have a choice?