Written for the watsons_woes JWP day 28 prompt: It's All in the Details. Obssesive Compulsive Disorder, either diagnosed or not.


_Observation_

Our newest client faltered when he stepped through the doorway. We had only just finished breakfast, so the remains of the meal were still spread out on the table; Holmes had been engaged in some chemical research the previous few days, leaving the deal table covered in a forest of glassware, and the sitting room was in the usual state of disarray that resulted from Holmes being unoccupied by cases for a period of time. The man took a deep breath and clutched his hat and cane with whitened knuckles before he stepped hesitantly into the room.

That our client was fastidious was obvious from his impeccable dress and grooming, but his obsessive focus upon keeping everything in its proper place became evident as he described the strange occurrences that drove him to our doorstep. Indeed, anyone else would not have noticed the faint traces that intruders left behind when they searched his rooms, but the man's exacting nature meant he noticed several things amiss, including a drawer left ever-so-slightly open and a chair moved a millimeter or two to the left.

Holmes repeatedly praised the man's observational skills as we pursued the case, which turned out to be an intricate intrigue involving several individuals in the highest reaches of society. I, in turn, noted that the poor man's nerves were nearly at a breaking point as a result of the intrusion into his carefully ordered home, so when his case was resolved, I slipped him the card of a doctor who specialized in anxious conditions. I do not know if he sought the help of that doctor, but I hope that portion of his situation was also resolved to his satisfaction.