Time for my swirly idea. ‘Why don’t we recruit?’

‘We don’t recruit,’ Dad said firmly. ‘This is a family business.’

‘Always has been and always will be,’ Tanja added and muttered something to herself when she realised that she’d shown solidarity with Dad.

‘It’s nice that you think of Bec and me as family,’ Rani said, ‘but it shows that the old ways are already changing.’ She gestured at the graph. ‘So why can’t the traditional Marin organisation change some more?’

She looked at me significantly and, if I’m any judge, Scottishly. I looked back at her enigmatically and stroked my beard. And, at that moment, I finally understood the real appeal of facial hair. So inscrutable.

‘I don’t know,’ Dad said. ‘What are you going to do? Put an advertisement in the newspaper? “Situation Vacant. Ghost Hunter. Must have the ability to see apparitions normal people don’t and the capacity to dispatch them Elsewhere. Experience and references preferred. No time wasters.”’

‘What is this “newspaper” you speak of?’ I asked. ‘Should I brush up my Morse code and use the electric telegraph to register such an advertisement in a reputable periodical? Or should I hie to the offices of said journal in my horse and buggy?’

‘I can’t tell if you’re supporting me or not,’ Dad said. ‘Are we advertising?’

Rani shot me another even more Scottish look. I could almost hear the bagpipes calling, so I caved in. ‘What would you say if we already had someone in mind?’

Rani made it plain. ‘We know you’re not keen on bringing in outsiders, but we’ve seen our Scottish visitors in action. We seriously need to consider bringing them on board.’

‘I see.’ Dad laced his hands on his chest and then blinked, startled at the irony of the tartan extravaganza he was wearing. ‘I don’t want anyone to think that I’m afraid of change, but if we go down this path there could be no turning back.’

‘Perhaps we could put it to the Scots that this is a limited-time arrangement?’ Rani suggested. ‘We share sighting information with them until this outbreak peaks and we have the situation under control again.’

I sized up the room. ‘Anyone think we shouldn’t go ahead with this deal?’

No one put up a hand. Tanja was itching to, but when she saw she had no company she thought better of it. ‘Okay,’ I said. ‘Rani and I’ll track them down and start negotiations.’ I patted Dad on the shoulder. ‘Sorry about this, Leon.’

‘Huh.’ He held up one flap of his waistcoat. ‘Would you like to wear this to meet our new Scottish friends? It could help.’

‘Not if it was the last item of clothing on earth. No offence.’

He drummed his fingers on his chest. ‘Have you ever noticed how people only add “no offence” after saying something that’s undoubtedly offensive? Just sayin’.’