Nobody is better off alone. That is the message The Mentalist viewers were left with after an episode that had the walls closing in around Madeleine Hightower.

Overall, “Red Queen” left me spinning theories as events unfolded. Did Hightower murder Todd Johnson? Was she working with Red John? Was she secretly working with Jane? Was it all a set up? This story kept me guessing right up until the end - and then it left me with more questions. 

I’ve never been fond of time jumps in stories, but this one certainly caught my attention. The problem? I couldn’t wait to get back to that moment that kicked off the show. The way the Montero murder linked back to Todd Johnson was intriguing, yet I felt as though I wanted to hit the fast forward button to get back to Jane and Hightower in the attic.

When Jane held the gun on Hightower, it took me a moment to realize why he was so intense. Then it hit me. If she was guilty, she’s a direct link to Red John. The possibility made Jane positively manic. The look in his eyes made me think no one will be able to stop him from killing Red John when/if he finds him.

I thought the duct tape wrapped around Jane’s neck and the gun was a nice touch. Quite chilling. He had no chance of escape. 

Happily, La Roche made another appearance this week. This guy’s so entertaining I didn’t want him to leave. Did you notice the way his eyes actually shook when he was staring down Hightower? How does he do that? It’s positively freaky. And who would have pictured La Roche with a fluffy little dog and Hummel figurines? How funny was that?

Because I’ve grown to like Hightower, I’m relieved she’s not a cold-blooded killer, although I assume we aren’t going to see much of her for a while now that she’s on the run. I’m thankful Jane has an ally in his hunt for Red John, but I do wish it were Lisbon. Either way, Jane is definitely a step closer than he was before. With Hightower in his corner, he’s not alone.

C. Orlando was a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. Follow her on Twitter.