Ep 12. Bleeding Heart

In "Bleeding Heart," the 12th episode of The Mentalist's second season, Patrick Jane (played by Simon Baker) and his team are tasked with investigating the murder of a wealthy woman named Marcy Randolph, who was known for her philanthropic efforts to help underprivileged children. The investigation leads them to a charity organization where Marcy was a donor, and it quickly becomes clear that the motives behind her murder are more complicated than they initially thought.

As the team narrows down their list of suspects, they discover that Marcy's son, who is also involved in the charity, seems to have a closer connection to the case than he initially let on. Meanwhile, Jane uses his keen powers of observation and deduction to determine that the killer may have ties to a group of animal rights activists who are protesting the charity's work with a pharmaceutical company.

As the case unfolds, Jane's personal life also takes a dramatic turn when he runs into a woman from his past, named Kristina Frye (played by Leslie Hope), who he believes may have supernatural abilities. He enlists her help in the case, but as their investigation brings them closer to the truth, Jane begins to doubt whether Kristina's abilities are legitimate, or if she is simply using cold reading techniques to manipulate people.

As the episode reaches its climax, Jane and the team race against the clock to prevent another murder and bring the killer to justice. Along the way, they must navigate complex moral questions around the value of human life and the ethics of animal testing, while Jane's personal life hangs in the balance.

Overall, "Bleeding Heart" is a gripping episode of The Mentalist that showcases the show's signature blend of crime procedural drama and character-driven storytelling. As always, Simon Baker delivers a standout performance as Jane, bringing depth and nuance to the character's moral dilemmas and emotional struggles. The episode is also notable for introducing the character of Kristina Frye, who plays an important role in the show's later seasons. Fans of The Mentalist and crime drama in general are sure to enjoy this captivating episode.