Chapter 609: Who Is the Biological Father?
Chapter 609: Chapter 609: Who Is the Biological Father?
What Levi Brooks said was basically consistent with what Dumpling had said.
He and Gregory Dawson had been schoolmates from elementary all the way through high school, and they were even in the same class for the first two years of middle school.
But the two of them weren’t close.
Levi Brooks was a good student, while Gregory Dawson was at the bottom of the class.
After they went to college, they had even less interaction, only seeing each other during the annual ancestor worship ceremonies on New Year’s.
"I was also surprised when Gregory Dawson came to see me," Levi Brooks said slowly. "I let him in because we’re from the same hometown and were old classmates."
But he hadn’t expected Gregory Dawson to be so outrageous.
Not only did he make some outrageous demands and touch his things without permission, but he ended up beating him like this...
Levi Hollis said gently, "Levi, we’ve already contacted your father, as well as Gregory Dawson’s mother."
"Okay." Levi Brooks nodded calmly. "I trust my dad. He isn’t the type of person to do something to wrong my mom."
"Get some rest." After Levi Hollis spoke, the group left the hospital room.
Once in the police car, Sawyer fastened his seatbelt and said, "Levi Brooks has a lot of faith in his father. I wonder if his dad will end up disappointing him."
"It’s hard to say." Renee Jennings sat in the back, turning her head to look at the scenery outside the window. Suddenly, the System’s voice echoed in her mind.
[System 009: New Level 4 mission triggered: Find the real culprit and the body. Mission rewards: Squirrel Dictionary, 300 points, 3 million cash. Mission penalty: Character persona control. Time limit: 72 hours.]
Hearing the mission details, Renee Jennings’s brow slowly furrowed.
’Someone else has been killed.’
They got back to the station just in time for lunch, and the group gathered in the conference room to eat their boxed meals.
Around one-thirty, Levi Brooks’s father arrived at the station.
The records showed that Levi Brooks’s father, Elijah Brooks, was sixty years old, but he looked to be around fifty at most. He wore a pair of silver-rimmed glasses and a white shirt, appearing gentle and refined.
Sawyer led the man into the conference room.
"Excuse me, Officer, how is my son, Levi Brooks, doing now?" Elijah Brooks asked, his face full of worry.
Sawyer poured him a glass of water and said gently, "Mr. Brooks, we just visited Levi at the hospital this morning. We’ve hired a caregiver to look after him. He’s safe now, so you can rest assured."
Elijah Brooks finally let out a sigh of relief. "Good. As long as Levi is okay, that’s all that matters."
Renee Jennings and Henry Stark entered the conference room together.
Sawyer made the introductions. "These are Captain Stark and Consultant Jennings. It was Consultant Jennings who first discovered that Levi Brooks had been attacked last night."
"Consultant Jennings, thank you so much." Elijah Brooks stood up and gave Renee Jennings a deep bow.
"It was nothing." Renee Jennings smiled slightly. "Please, have a seat, Mr. Brooks."
After Elijah Brooks sat down again, Henry Stark began his questioning. "Mr. Brooks, do you know Gregory Dawson?"
"Gregory Dawson?" Elijah Brooks nodded slightly. "He’s from the same county as us. He and Levi went to the same school starting from elementary."
Henry Stark continued, "And his mother, Celia Dawson? Do you know her?"
"I do," Elijah Brooks replied. "She and my wife were middle school classmates. I believe they’re also distantly related, but we don’t keep in touch."
He paused, a hint of confusion in his voice. "Officer, why are you suddenly bringing up Gregory and Celia Dawson? Does what happened to Levi have something to do with them?"
Henry Stark said flatly, "The person who harmed Levi Brooks was Gregory Dawson."
Elijah Brooks frowned, completely baffled. "Why would he hurt Levi? The two of them have basically no contact."
"According to the police investigation, Gregory Dawson claimed that he and Levi Brooks are half-brothers on their father’s side," Henry Stark said, discreetly observing the man’s reaction.
"Half-brothers?" Elijah Brooks’s frown deepened, his confusion more pronounced. "I’m Levi’s father. How could he and Levi possibly be half-brothers?"
"He said that you once got drunk and had sexual relations with his mother, Celia Dawson."
Elijah Brooks’s face suddenly darkened, his voice tinged with anger. "That’s absolute nonsense! I never get drunk, and I would certainly never get involved with Celia Dawson!"
Growing angrier the more he thought about it, Elijah Brooks said in a low, firm voice, "I have never done such a shameful thing! This concerns my reputation. I’m willing to pay for a paternity test with Gregory Dawson myself!"
Just then, there was a knock on the conference room door.
Kyle Morgan pushed the door open, came in, and whispered in Henry Stark’s ear, "Celia Dawson is here."
"Understood." Henry Stark nodded, his gaze returning to Elijah Brooks. "We were in fact planning to ask you and Gregory Dawson to take a paternity test. The criminal investigation team will cover the costs. We’ll need you to leave a sample for testing, Mr. Brooks."
"Of course." Elijah Brooks nodded solemnly. "I will cooperate fully."
"Thank you for your trouble." After saying this, Henry Stark glanced at Renee Jennings, then stood up and walked toward the door.
Renee Jennings took the hint and immediately followed him out.
The two of them entered another conference room.
Celia Dawson was sitting there. She was wearing a floral-print blouse with lantern sleeves, and her permed hair was dyed a wine-red color.
Her file said Celia Dawson was fifty-seven, but she didn’t look any younger than the sixty-year-old Elijah Brooks.
"Officer, how is my Gregory?" As soon as Celia Dawson saw them enter, she said agitatedly, "I think you must have made a mistake. My Gregory would never hit anyone."
Henry Stark spoke softly, "Ms. Dawson, hello. May I ask what your relationship is to Gregory Dawson?"
"I’m Gregory’s mother." Celia Dawson asked anxiously, "Officer, where is my Gregory?"
"Ms. Dawson, please calm down. There are a few things we’d like to clarify with you," Henry Stark said, watching her with a calm gaze.
Celia Dawson frowned. "What is it?"
"According to our investigation, Gregory comes from a single-parent home. You gave birth to him without being married, correct?"
"That’s right."
"Then may I ask who Gregory Dawson’s biological father is?"
Celia Dawson’s eyes flickered slightly, and she lowered her gaze. "I... Does this question have anything to do with Gregory’s case? Can I choose not to answer?"
"You can," Henry Stark nodded.
Renee Jennings saw Celia Dawson let out a clear sigh of relief.
"Then, Officer, can I see my Gregory now?" Celia Dawson asked.
Henry Stark’s lips moved slightly as he said slowly, "Gregory Dawson claims that he and Levi Brooks are half-brothers. Were you aware of this?"
When Celia Dawson heard this, her expression changed drastically. A flash of panic and unease crossed her face, and her fingertips curled slightly.
Renee Jennings asked softly, "Ms. Dawson, would you mind telling us what your relationship with Mr. Elijah Brooks is?"
"I..." Celia Dawson opened her mouth but couldn’t form a complete sentence. "I..."
Henry Stark spoke up again. "Gregory Dawson said that Elijah Brooks got drunk, came to your house, and had sexual relations with you. Were you the one who told him that?"
Celia Dawson picked at her fingers nervously, her tone becoming rushed. "Excuse me, I’m here to deal with the matter of my son, Gregory, hitting someone. I don’t want to answer these unrelated questions."