‘CSI:NY’ Plans An ‘Exit Strategy’ For The End Of Season 7

Mac tries to close his last unsolved case in the finale of CSI: New York’s seventh season. (Major spoilers after the jump!)

According to CSI Files sources, “Exit Strategy” finds Mac re-evaluating his life in the wake of a near-death experience. He watches from a distance as new cadets start their training at the police academy, shiny and new and full of promise. Their careers are just beginning, but Mac wonders if his career with the NYPD is nearing its end. He heads back to his office and picks up the only folder left in the “unsolved” box on his desk. Once he solves this case, he can decide whether or not he’s ready to leave the crime lab.

The case involves a double homicide at a bodega, which took place nine years ago. Kenny Hexton and Wes Dillon went into the empty bodega, and Kenny held the owner at gunpoint while Wes watched for anybody to come in. Kenny demanded that the owner empty his cash register, but instead the man pulled out a gun of his own. The pair of them were shouting at each other, each threatening to pull the trigger, when a stockboy walked out of the stockroom. Kenny got freaked out and shot the stockboy in the chest, and the owner shot Kenny in the shoulder. Kenny returned fire, shooting the owner three times. What was supposed to be a simple robbery turned into something much worse. Wes was shocked that Kenny killed two people, but they had no choice but to run before the police arrived. The NYPD has been searching for both men ever since.

When Mac starts re-investigating the crime, he locates an unexpected connection to another case—their murderers are also kidnappers. A change purse found at the bodega belonged to a five-year-old girl who went missing on the same day. Olivia Dalton’s mother, Natalie, never knew exactly what happened to her daughter, but she hasn’t given up hope. Mac asks the woman to tell him what happened the day Olivia disappeared. She’s ashamed to remember her behavior back then, when she would rather get drunk than take care of her daughter. She came into their apartment and fell onto the couch, leaving the door ajar. Olivia tried to show her mother a picture she drew, but Natalie muttered something about a headache before she passed out.

Olivia was gone when Natalie woke up, and that was the last time she ever had a drink. Unfortunately, it was too little too late. Now that Mac has found a connection to the bodega murders, they are able to piece together what happened to Olivia that day. The little girl wanted to help her mother get rid of her headache, so she went into the bathroom to get her some aspirin—when she found the empty bottle, she picked up her change purse and left the apartment to buy her mother some pain relievers at the bodega around the corner. The child was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Kenny and Wes were almost out of the store when a noise caught their attention, and they saw Olivia standing in one of the aisles. They took the young witness with them.

Mac has no evidence that Olivia was killed, but he can’t promise that the men didn’t harm her. Right now, Olivia’s fate remains a mystery. It has been nearly ten years since she went missing—if she’s still alive, she’s a teenager now. Mac is determined to solve this case. He needs to bring two murderers to justice and find out what happened to Olivia. Once that work is done, he can contemplate his own future.

Please note that the above plot details have not been confirmed by CBS, Alliance Atlantis or Bruckheimer Films, and until such time you should treat this information as you would any other rumour. The above information comes from early script drafts and the details of the episodes are liable to change before the episodes are shown.

“Exit Strategy” is expected to air May 13 on CBS.