Chicago PD spoilers: What to expect in season 11, episode 12

Chicago PD has really embraced the season-long arc over the last couple years. While Chicago Med and Chicago Fire dabble in having subplots connect disparate episodes, PD actually foregrounds the same case over several weeks. It makes the show feel more cohesive, and it raises emotional stakes for the cops involved.

The latest episode, "Inventory," has a pretty basic synopsis, but the last few episodes have given us all the context we need. While "The Water Line" was a change of pace in terms of case and character focus (we got an Atwater episode, at least), "Inventory" will pick back up where "Buried Pieces" left off.

Petrovic will return in this week's episode

The same mysterious serial killer who terrorized women in that episode is still on the loose, and it will fall to Hailey Upton (Tracy Spiridakos) and the rest of the team to bring him down. It's worth noting the synopsis for the season 11 finale suggests that the killer is still on the loose, so "Inventory" will be more about furthering the story, and setting the table for the finale, than it will be providing a solid conclusion.

We will, however, be getting Josephine Petrovic (Bojana Novakovic) back in the mix. The character admitted she had a drinking problem at the end of "Buried Pieces," and agreed to check herself into rehab at the end of the episode. She was absent for "The Water Line," but the promo photos for the new episode confirms that she gets thrown right into the thick of the action.

"Inventory" will set up Hailey Upton's exit

This will be the penultimate episode to feature Upton, so we're hopeful that a decent amount of the episode will be spent on her character, and laying the groundwork for why she eventually decides to leave. PD is really waiting until the very end to reveal why she makes her decision. We'd be surprised if we didn't get some implication of where it will come from, or what will inform it, during "Inventory."

Here's the official synopsis for the episode:

"Intelligence chases down a lead in the ongoing serial killer investigation as news of the case reaches the public."