Chapter 32: Kilpatrick Farm
Driving up the access rode she doubled checked to make sure the Wrangler was in four-wheeled drive. She also held on tight to the steering wheel over the worn and rocky road. Every so often she would adjust what gear the Wrangler was in.
The Kilpatrick's farm was the closest of the South Tenants to Murphy House. It was also the hardest one to get to, without leaving the estate. Kelly McMichael didn't often get up to the Kilpatrick Farm because of the roads. There was a discussion about improving the access road, but it was also a low priority.
Reaching the peak of the road and landed on the flat area where the main structures were located. The Kilpatrick Family was one of the oldest tenants of the estate, according to the records. Kelly looked out the windshield and calling this place a complex, a farm, or livable was generous.
The farm buildings were old and grey. The shades of grey ran from exceptionally light to almost black. The land itself was largely played out. Kelly pulled over to the drive by one of the larger buildings. She parked and got out, leaving the Wrangler running.
Kelly looked around and saw a tall brown hair young woman came out of the building. She was wearing a black set of coveralls. Kelly noticed she had her hair up and covered by a blue bandana.
"Hello Mrs. McMichael," The Young woman said.
"Hello Marie, where's your Dad?" Kelly asked.
Marie Kilpatrick snapped her fingers, "You just missed him, Mrs. McMichael," she said.
"Okay," Kelly said, with a curt nodded, "What are Y'all working on in the barn?"
"Nothing special, just a restoration project," Marie said.
"Mind if I take a look?" Kelly asked.
"Yeah, you could look," Marie said, "Let me just make sure Wendy's not welding."
"Okay," Kelly said.
Marie disappeared inside the barn. A few minutes later Marie reappeared.
"We're all set, Mrs. McMichael," Marie said.
Kelly followed Marie into the barn. In the center of the barn was a tank. Kelly shook her head, she didn't know what type of tank it was, but it was a tank. Huck might know, what type it was. There were parts all over the barn, and the turret was still attached to the overhead gantry crane.
"What is this?" Kelly asked.
"It's an M5 Light Tank," Marie said, "It was a range wreck according to my Dad."
Kelly ran a gloved hand over the vehicle feeling the damaged vehicle. "How many is this?" Kelly asked.
"Four that I can remember," Marie said, "This one is ours though."
Kelly walked around and saw a fifteen-year-old redheaded young woman. The redhead was using soapstone making marks on the vehicle.
"Hey Wendy, what are you doing?" Kelly asked.
Wendy turned and looked at Kelly. Kelly nodded.
"I'm marking out the plates that need to be to cut out and replace," Wendy said.
"Really? Who does the welding?" Kelly asked.
"I do," Wendy said, "Hey Marie!"
"Yes," Marie replied.
"We're going to need more wire," Wendy said.
"Don't we have enough?" Marie asked.
"Not enough, this thing is a wreck and I have to cut a metric shit ton of plate," Wendy said.
"But why do we need more wire?" Marie asked.
"Marie, we've done this how long? It's armored plate if we don't use the right wire the welds will split. If we were doing a truck then we're good, but not for this beast," Wendy said.
"Am I interrupting?" Kelly asked.
"Oh, no, Mrs. McMichael, we've just started the rebuild," Wendy said, "The inside is pretty much gutted if you want to take a look."
Kelly walked over to a ladder and climbed up it. She looked inside the hull and came face to face with the youngest Kilpatrick girl, Connie.
"Mrs. McMichael," Connie Kilpatrick, a dirty blonde, said.
"Connie, what are you doing in there?" Kelly asked.
"Just seeing what hydraulics, I can salvage," Connie said.
Kelly nodded. She climbed down and saw the other redhead, Wendy's twin sister, Cindy. The other fifteen-year-old was fiddling around with the engine. Cindy was the quiet one of the girls.
"Marie," Kelly said.
"Yes Mrs. McMichael," Marie said.
"I've got to check on your neighbors, tell your Dad I stopped by," Kelly said.
"I will, Mrs. McMichael," Marie said.
Kelly left the barn and went over to her Wrangler. She looked over the nearby fields and nodded. She needed Holden Kilpatrick to till those fields, so they can start becoming productive again. There were people inquiring about the lease on this farm.
Kelly shook her head, got into her Wrangler and drove off, heading to the next tenant.