Could you please help me figure out the meaning of the underlined part?

A: ‘I could hear the house settling down just now, almost as if it was talking to itself.’ I wouldn’t mention the fear – he’d have forgotten the footsteps by now and the shadows on the path.

B: ‘That’ll be the ghosts.’ He winked at me as he sipped his wine; he hadn’t forgotten, he was making it into a joke, and I relaxed. ‘They’ll be the first to go if Blake has his way.’

A: ‘He’s American; they pay for them, don’t they?’ I replied, though Luc could be right, it sounded as though Blake would rip out what was old and secret, even if by mistake.

This is a fragment taken from a book. Just to provide some context: This character they are mentioning, Blake, is American and he wants to remodel the house. Character B does not agree with him on modernizing the old house.

From what I understand, character A is saying that Americans pay for ghosts? But what does that even mean?

Your help would be greatly appreciated.