Disclaimer: I do not own Human Target and intend no copyright infringement.
"You are single and you live downtown. You need someone to protect you. A dog." Dana was insistent.
"Yes, I know, but a Rottweiler?" Katherine was still doubtful. Actually even more so than before she had allowed her friend to drag her out to that dog breeder in the Californian hills. Hercules, the sire of the current litter, had met them at the door.
He was impressive, mildly put.
"What were you thinking, a Pomeranian?" Dana grabbed her by the arm and made her look at the puppies. They were sweet, indeed. But the bitch looked just as big as Hercules. Katherine couldn't really see herself with a dog like that.
"Rotties are very mild-mannered", the breeder chimed in. "They've got keen instincts, especially when it comes to people. They can look into the soul of a person. If a Rottie trusts someone, the someone is worth it."
To Katherine's ears he was laying it on a bit too thick. They were talking about watchdogs here, after all. He made it sound like they were some sort of canine water-walkers. Well, he wanted to get a deal done.
"Look at this one, what about him?" Dana pointed at a meddlesome little bundle that was persistently trying to reach the newcomers through the mesh wire, vehemently pushing all other candidates away.
"He'd fight for you till death", the breeder supported Dana's suggestion. Katherine however shook her head. She imagined herself being dragged all over the park by this bully-in-the-making.
"And this one?" The breeder lifted up a female puppy that immediately started struggling. "Look what a bundle of energy the little rascal is!"
Dana was impressed. Katherine wasn't. But she had the nagging feeling her friend wouldn't let her leave without making a decision.
She was just about to feign a sudden migraine attack when she saw him.
It started out as a joke: "What about that one?", she asked and pointed at a puppy that had slept soundly while all around its siblings had caused all sorts of ruckus.
The first tug at her heart came when the breeder made a face that indicated thinly veiled contempt. "You don't want that one. He's no good. Sleeps all day, unless he's eating. Don't know how he came about – the bitch and Hercules have both immaculate pedigrees and breeding histories."
"I like him. Give him to me."
Reluctantly the breeder picked up the puppy and placed it in her arms. The chubby thing seemed to be still asleep, but when Katherine cautiously blew into his face it opened first one eye, then, apparently having decided that she was worth the risk, the other.
And suddenly it was Katherine who felt as if she was looking into someone's soul.
"That's the one", she said.
Dana, of course, declared her insane and even the breeder wasn't exactly over the top with the idea. He probably feared for his reputation. Katherine, however, didn't back down.
"He's more than meets the eye. I want someone gentle to protect me. My protector doesn't need to be perfect. What he needs is a heart."
On their way home, the puppy peed on Dana's newly upholstered car seat.
Katherine couldn't help but think that the breeder hadn't laid it on too thick after all. This one could see into the soul of people for sure.