The only hope for any of this to be decent is if the entire last episodes of Season 6 and all 13 episodes of Season 7 are a long con.  If the relationship is mostly a ruse to capture the real Red John or if Patrick himself is Red John then it will be worth it.  Mashburn, Minelli, or Partridge would all be excellent choices, or Stiles, if Grace is somehow involved.  The reason it won't happen is that Heller and Baker would have had to have the whole thing worked out before last season even started in order for all the pieces to fit.  Heller doesn't care about the show anymore.  Someone could see if CBS would give permission for a post-Mentalist book that gave a much better ending to the saga.   I have taped all the episodes this season but have only watched two.  I just cannot get into it like I was in Season 1-3 and even for parts of last season.  I thought it was going to tie back into the carnival and likely Patrick's dad, or at least have a sixth sense like reveal, but it didn't happen.  Expectations were too high, I guess.  There was really good writing and acting for more than 5 seasons, though.