After eleven years, the Supreme Court has finally ruled on the Van der Waals family Tontine, an out-of-date and otherwise illegal trust fund mechanism. It all depends on which of old Caleb Van der Waals' offspring dies last - and the last two were frozen before death, at exactly the same time. Millions of dollars are at stake, and it's up to inexperienced Eric Van der Decken to find his way through the legal maze. He also has to deal with a mysterious piece of furniture, a headless horseman, a devious associate, and numerous romantic complications that are his own damn fault.