Why did the butler do it?
We have received suggestions from readers on a recent blog, “Calling J.R. Ewing.” Our readers, who have Agatha Christie powers of deduction, believe that one need trace the Bettencourt family’s hiring practices. The butler in this case taped Mme Bettencourt’s meetings.
The butler also “gave” the tapes to Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, Mme Bettencourt’s daughter who is trying to wrest gifts, worth a billion dollars, given to social gadfly Francois-Marie Bonier. Unfortunately another employee of Mme Bettencourt has said that the L’Oreal heiress paid off politicians, including Nicolas Sarkozy, president of France.
Definitely, someone has to do a better job of checking references at Mme Bettencourt’s residence. But Christie mystery fans go back to one point, wondering who other than Mme Meyers had motive to remove Mme Bettencourt from the scene? Now that L’Oreal has become involved (stockholders are furious that Bonier was collecting a salary of $523,000 for nearly 10 years and have a lawsuit against the company), one has to wonder where the company’s loyalties will be.
Some of biblical persuasion said they believe the sins of the father have been thrust upon Mme Bettencourt. They say her father’s (Eugene Schueller’s) politics were far more damaging to France than an envelope packed with money allegedly given by Bettencourt to Sarkozy.
But somehow I don’t see an envelope handed to politicians on a tea service as fitting Mme Bettencourt’s style. I could better see an Hermes bag, filled with money, sent by messenger or courier more consistent to her wealth and status.
This political mess has muddied the waters for so many, and it is difficult to see how it will end up.