You can probably just skip this chapter, because it's pretty boring and not much happens.

"And over here is the Squiggy Piggy mart," Helen said, gesturing to the small grocery.

"I've noticed you have quite a few businesses in this city," Becky replied.

"Sure, that's not unusual."

"No, but it might make it a better target for thieves," Becky explained "if a crook was to come here, he'd have his pick of places to rob."

"I don't think that'll be a problem," Helen told her "we've had a few problems with crime, but never anything major. Why are you so interested in places being robbed?"

"Just want to make sure this is a safe city," Becky explained, "say, you don't have a butcher's shop around here anywhere, do you?"

"We sure do!" Martha said happily "we'll be happy to take you there right now!"

"Martha loves going there because Carl always gives her free samples," Helen explained "but we don't have time right now, we should be getting home for dinner."

"Ooh, I love dinner!" Martha said "even more than I love lunch." Skits barked something in agreement.

"Would you like to come by our house?" Helen asked.

"I'd have to ask my dad, but I'm sure he'd be okay with it," Becky told her.

So, a few minutes later, the kids returned to the average looking house. Inside, working in the kitchen was a dark skinned woman with a purple sweater, red flats & a skirt covered with transparent white flowers. Playing on the floor was a young baby of the same skin tone, wearing a white shirt with horizontal blue stripes and an orange jumper.

"Mom, we're home!" Helen called.

"I'm in the kitchen," Mariella called back.

After everyone walked in, Mariella tore herself away from her work to look at them. "Hola Helen," she said, "oh, and who are your new friends?"

"This is Becky Botsford, and her monkey Bob," Helen explained "they're going to be in town for a while, so Martha and I were showing them around."

"Es un placer conocerte; it is nice to meet you Becky," Mariella told her "would you like to stay for dinner? Provided it is okay with your parents, of course."

"Oh, I really don't think that I…" Becky began, until Bob tugged on her sleeve and chattered something at her "on second thought, we will join you for dinner after all."

"And this is my little brother Jake," Helen said, introducing the baby "say hi to Becky & Bob Jakey."

"Key" Jake replied.

"He's still growing," Helen told her "hey, want to see my room?"

"Sure."

"Nice room," Becky commented "um, I don't want to impose, but, would it be okay if I slept over here tonight?"

"Wouldn't you rather spend the night with your family?"

"Yeah, well my bed hasn't quite been unpacked yet", Becky began "and there's just so much going on over at my place. Besides, you and Martha are the first friends I've made since I came here," Becky explained, until she heard some barks from nearby "and you too Skits."

"I'd be happy to have you, but I'll have to ask my parents," Helen told her.

"I have a question; where's the monkey gonna sleep?" Martha asked.

"Bob can sleep with me," Becky explained.

"As long as he isn't sleeping on the bed," Martha told her "that's kind of my spot."

"Martha, you should be nice for our guest," Helen scolded.

Bob chattered something in response; "what'd he say?" Helen asked.

"He was wondering what you were having for dinner."

"I like the way the monkey thinks!" Martha replied.

"This is very good Mrs. Lorraine," Becky said, after she and Bob sat down for dinner.

"Gracias, I am glad you enjoy it," Mariella replied.

"I can't believe we're actually having dinner with a monkey!" exclaimed a middle-aged man with glasses, a flowery yellow shirt and brown trousers. That was Helen's dad, Daniel, or Danny; "is that neat or what?"

"Oh Bob eats at the table at our house all the time," Becky explained.

"Speaking of your familia, when do we get to meet them?" Mariella asked "I would like very much to talk with your mother."

"Oh, they're gonna be super busy the whole time we're here," Becky said "I doubt they'll have any time to see people, or really anything outside of work."

"And what sort of work do they do?" Mariella asked.

"You know, this and that," Becky said, "it's really not important, so let's not worry about it. So…anybody hear anything about any robberies?"

"Come to think of it, there was something on the news today about the bank being robbed by someone dressed as a butcher," Danny replied "but I thought it was a joke or something."

"TD said the same thing this morning," Helen added "although he said it was some guy that could shoot meat out of his hands," she added, causing Becky to nearly choke on her food. "Becky, are you all right?"

"Oh yes... just fine," Becky replied nervously "could you excuse me, I need to use the little girls room." "Come on Bob" she added, grabbing the monkey and heading down the hall.

"Does she know where the bathroom is?" Danny asked his family.

Once in the bathroom, Bob began to chatter angrily at his owner.

"I'm sorry I pulled you away from dinner, but we need to focus," Becky told him "the Butcher's already struck once and he's sure to do so again; tomorrow, we'll have them take us to that butcher shop, then we'll nail him and be on our way home."

Bob chattered a reply. "No, I don't like deceiving them, but you know we can't tell them the truth, think how they'd react." Bob chattered something else. "I'd love to stay and get to know them better too, but we have a mission. Okay, how about this; after we nab the Butcher, we'll spend some more time with them."

Bob clapped in reply.

"Good, now let's get back to dinner; I don't want them to suspect that anything's wrong."

"Are you okay?" Helen asked Becky later, as both girls got ready for bed "I noticed you were in the bathroom for a while there."

"Oh yeah, sometimes you just gotta go, right?" Becky replied, although Helen noticed she seemed to be acting nervously "hey, do you think we could visit that butcher's shop you mentioned tomorrow? My...um, dad needs some meat."

"Sure, I guess," Helen said, a bit wary, "I was hoping I could introduce you to the rest of my friends though."

"There'll be plenty of time for that, after the butcher's shop," Becky told her "it is imperative that we go there first."

"Imperative?"

"It means 'not to be avoided or evaded'; when I say that it's imperative that we go, I mean that we absolutely must go there."

"Your dad must really need his meat."

"Her dad has good taste," Martha added.

"Yeah, well goodnight," Becky said, pretending to drift off to sleep.

Man, I can't believe how easy this is going to be, she thought tomorrow, I'll apprehend the Butcher, then spend a little more time with my new friend Helen. It almost seems too easy. Nah!

Unfortunately, things don't always run that smoothly, as WordGirl will soon learn. Next time, the butcher shop turns out to be bust, but WordGirl encounters her old foe anyway. Plus, someone gets suspicious of Becky's true motives.