Page 91 of A Matter of Time

“Stop yelling.”

He glared at me, and I gave that look right back to him.

“You have no right to⁠—”

“You’re being an ass.”

“Jory—”

“She’s your sister, and you’re being a real jerk right now instead of what she needs.”

“What?”

“You need to show a little compassion.”

“Compassion?” He was indignant.

“Yes. Compassion. Pass me the tin in the left cabinet.”

He moved right.

“Your other left.”

He gave me a scalding look and opened the next cabinet. After he passed me the tin he looked back at the shelves and the contents. “What the fuck is all this shit?”

“I went grocery shopping with your mother.”

“When?” He looked at me.

“After the bakery. We needed some more stuff.”

“You bought all this stuff?”

“Yes.”

“How can you afford⁠—”

“I’m not some starving college student, Detective. I have a decent job, ya know.”

He moved to another cabinet and then the refrigerator. “There’s a lot of food in here.”

“Like you’d know.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“You eat like a frat boy. I’m changing your diet.”

“Like hell you are.”

“Pass me the vanilla creamer out of the fridge.”

He yanked open the door, and everything that was glass inside jingled.

“Try not to break anything.”

“I don’t have any—oh,” he grumbled, and passed me the bottle.

I got out spoons and a dish towel from another drawer, some cinnamon, and a lemon. I wasn’t sure what his sister and her lover took in their tea.