Taking cues from his real-life detective dad (Darren Kennedy), 13-year-old sleuth Sam Steele Jr. (Jacob Hays) sets out to catch one of Des Moines, Iowa's most elusive criminals -- a prolific thief (Luke Perry) who calls himself the Cat -- with help from his best friend, Emma Marsh (Katherine McNamara). M. Emmet Walsh co-stars as the town's harried chief of police, who's glad to take any help he can get.