Leslie Hope is returning to The Mentalist.

It didn't take someone with psychic powers last season to notice the connection between Patrick Jane and Hope's character of Kristina. Producer Bruno Heller says this romantic tension will be even more overt on the season's final two episodes.

“Jane tries to prove once and for all that she is a charlatan,” Heller told Entertainment Weekly. “At the same time, [he finds] himself strangely attracted to her.”

Said Hope, who broke out on 24 as Jack's wife, when asked if that attraction could result in a full-fledged romance?

“All [the producers] told me was they had some fun stuff for me to do. I don’t know what their version of ‘fun’ is, but I’m hoping it involves Simon and not wrestling a barracuda in a tank."

There's a chance Hope could be brought on as a recurring character next season, but that depends on what transpires with Tangled, the Canadian-produced pilot she recently shot.

Think she'd make a good cast addition?

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.