Thank you Simlyme for posting this link. After watching this video, I definitely think she was lost. It looks like she's trying to find someone or something she recognizes. Also, notice how well she is getting from one place to the other. This confirms to me that she was drugged sometime after this and also after she arrived at the mall. She was still walking quickly and well then. So, if it's correct as reported by the Tempo employee outside that she was really drunk and could barely walk, then I think something was put in a drink that caused this. JMO. I think she was lost and scared and trying to find someone she knew. So, so heartbreaking.
She doesn't look drunk, drug, or lost to me, neccasarily.
Suppose this scenario: perhaps she was a girl who had something heavy on her mind, and a feeling of just needing to get away...who also might have been wearing shoes not great for walking long distances. She looks like someone who didn't know where she wanted to be exactly, but it wasn't because she was lost.
Maybe something happened at that party, and she wanted away from it, and away from anyone at it...maybe she knew someone at mcgradys either via a status/tweet, or by text or cell...someone she needed/wanted to see perhaps as a comfort or because she was mad and going to confront them, perhaps related to whatever reason she left the party....or she was at the party, then got bad news via phone notification or through someone there and it "turned her world upside down".... So she was going to confront someone or needed to talk to someone about what she just heard/learned....(add in some alcohol which she was reported to consume at the party)....
But when she gets to Mcgrady's she can't find them, she can't get into the bar, they aren't on the patio or in the parking lot.
Then maybe she was alerted as to this persons new whereabouts...."oh they left 10 min ago they where headed to Tempo".....so she started heading there...not realizing how long the walk was, and not really knowing exactly the best rout there.
So she gets to the downtown mall, and she's upset, angry, sad, hurt, betrayed...who knows... kind of focused in her own thoughts, less aware of her surroundings, tired from walking, feet hurt, and still slightly drunk from the party earlier....and who does she cross paths with...but LJ (who's face may or may not have been familiar to her, though I doubt she knew him well), who's know to pray on girls in distress and intoxicated....so he swoops in, puts his arm around her, "oh what's wrong baby doll, how can a girl as pretty as you be so upset".....and at that point she just pours her heart out to him, tells this virtual stranger everything because she so exasperated. So then maybe he responds with "well lets go find them (at tempo)". And she thinks I've got this huge guy, I've got protection to this person I want to confront.....what a nice guy.
But then maybe they get to Tempo, and the person isn't there, or they can't find them....and JLM uses this time to drug her.....so by the time its Tempos last call, not only did she never find who she set out to find...but her state of mind is so altered....he just walks her to his car.....its possible he never even "offered" her a ride until after she was already drugged.
A strange guy going with you to a bar, sounds far less creepy then a strange guy offering you a ride....I think Hannah was smart enough / sober enough even when she first entered the mall to be skeeved out by a stranger offering her a ride....but if the subject wasnt even broached until after the drugging....I can better comprehend why she would have felt comfortable enough with him to spend time with him in the first place.
Anyway just throwing out a scenario.
We clearly do not know what LE knows but I am guessing if something similar to this scenario is what put HG at the downtown mall that night, LE would be well aware of it. It just doesn't mean they would tell us.