Kaya Blanke will be reuniting with Elsbeth in season 3; it is just a matter of when.
Carra Patterson left Elsbeth as a series regular at the end of season 2, as Kaya moved on as a detective in Washington, D.C. Fortunately, it seems Kaya's return could come at any time early in the show's third season when fans are least expecting it. Kaya and Elsbeth's relationship was one of the most integral parts of the first two seasons, and confirming Kaya's return so early helps lean in to the way this duo grounded the show.
Elsbeth wrote toward Kaya's exit fairly well, leaning into the character's desire to step up and become a detective before eventually giving her a promotion that allows her to thrive on her own. After all, the main aspect of Elsbeth is that Elsbeth is mostly responsible for solving every murder, and the revolving door of detectives are simply following her lead, even when they do not like to admit it. That is hardly a way to show Kaya flourishing as a detective.
Granted, while it was disappointing to discover that the audience would not be able to go on this journey with Kaya, Elsbeth understood this journey well enough to make sure that Kaya's character had a positive send-off. Besides, throughout season 2, it seemed like the series was slowly trying to tease at this upcoming casting change, seeing the revolving door of police officers Elsbeth began working with after Kaya's promotion, and how Kaya started taking a backseat to storylines after officially becoming a detective.
Losing one of the heartbeats of a series can hurt its overall tone. While Carrie Preston's portrayal of Elsbeth will remain the biggest element to the series overall, stripping her character of her biggest confidant risks the series losing some of its joyous back-and-forth that Elsbeth had leaned into so much during its first two seasons. While Elsbeth can form a similar dynamic with another police officer, and Wagner is still present as one of the show's backbones, it can be hard to replace an element so integral to a series that made it so dynamic to begin with. Elsbeth's relationship with Kaya kept the show light on its feet while developing a strong female friendship that allowed both characters to lift the other up.
So, what circumstances will bring Kaya back to New York City at the most unexpected time? Elsbeth's investigations always bring her into the fold of something bigger than the case initially suggested. Kaya's return could have anything to do with a pre-existing case Elsbeth is investigating, or introducing an entirely new storyline.
An early guest spot for Kaya does suggest that maybe Kaya's role will not have to do with one specific case, but potentially help set up an overarching plot for season 3 as a whole. Seasons 1 and 2 each had central subplots that ran through the seasons, so Kaya's return could always help set up a larger storyline that she leaves to Elsbeth and Wagner to investigate separately. Regardless of how Kaya is brought back, or what about her return makes it unexpected, her reunion with Elsbeth is a storyline to look forward to in season 3 as the series moves forward without the dynamic of Elsbeth and Kaya taking center stage.