Lorelei Returns to The Mentalist on a Murderous Mission

As fans of The Mentalist know only too well, you'd have to be nuts to purposely piss off Red John. But that's just what will happen in Sunday's ­episode, titled "There Will Be Blood," when the serial killer's accomplice, Lorelei Martins, goes rogue. Played by Entourage's Emmanuelle Chriqui, the needy, high-strung Lorelei packs an all-purpose gym bag of devastation (gun, Taser, rope, handcuffs) and sets out to avenge the murder of her sister Miranda — a crime that leads right back to Red John.

"The episode starts with a bang — literally — when Lorelei shoots and kills the manager of a battered-women's shelter she thinks was ­involved in her sister's death," says creator Bruno Heller. "Her righteous hunt only gets worse from there — so bad, in fact, that Homeland Security is brought into the picture."

Lorelei's reign of terror also leaves Simon Baker's character, criminal profiler Patrick Jane, with considerable regret, since he's the one who broke her out of jail earlier this season. Jane, whose family was slaughtered by Red John, had an affair with the gal, mostly to gain ­intel on her master's identity. But it did seem as if he had real feelings for her.

"I would never call it love, but Jane sees Lorelei as a kindred spirit because they're both so damaged," Baker says. "As much as he's using her, he also has empathy for her."

Chriqui has a more ­romantic take: "I have to believe that Jane and ­Lorelei could find real happiness ­together if things weren't so messed up," says the actress. "But Lorelei is now past the point of no ­return. Though she's been brainwashed by Red John, you see her walls melting as it hits home that he was behind Miranda's death. She's totally fearless, but what's her fate as a result?"

How Red John deals with his ­minion's psychotic breakdown "is a cautionary tale," Baker says. "Lorelei and Jane are on similar paths, with the same goal of revenge. This is really going to influence how he approaches things down the line."

Sincere or not, Jane's attraction to Lorelei will prove profitable. "She'll be the source of the clue that ultimately leads Jane to Red John," Heller says. "But as he gets closer, there will be more terrifying consequences."

The Mentalist airs Sundays at 10/9c on CBS.

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