( Something in the room changes (nervous system responding to the slight shift in the man's attitude, his curiously careful movements and handling of items - a reaction rather than an actual shift). Sherlock stays as he is, stance mostly relaxed, listening while the man lets him know that his clock's too fast (analysing the clock speed through this sole moment of observation, not guessing, why would he, this is not ability pertaining to so-called clairsentience - this is something else) which would have been a show in itself, really.

But then, he proceeds to tell him...

Blinking, he sits up just a tad straighter, gaze running over John's empty chair automatically before he shakes off whatever hit the man just landed. The story's immediately verifiable which is clever, quite clever. But not, of course, the most obvious choice in the room in terms of personal stories. Relations. Events. Meaning, he could have been a lot ruder, his own words notwithstanding. )

A coherent picture, at least. You, not the clock.

( He glances over his shoulder at the other man, meeting his eyes. There's something building at the very back of his mind, the beginnings of an all-consuming curiosity, something that might very well nag him for a long time to come. )

You see, complex people are rarely as full of contradictions as they seem. That's not complexity, anyway, just confusion. I wonder why you chose the clock, of all things - it must have spoken to you, in particular.