So this leaves us with basically four options that I can think of:
1. She was walking to boyfriend's and somehow did fall into the lake.
Well, if she walks like she drives, that's a possibility.
Even if she's still on her "fugitive" trip, I doubt she'd hide from a passing police cruiser by diving into the lake and the adrenaline should keep her away from accidentally falling in. But a shiny surface might look appealing to a young woman.
It's possible. She might have realized that she left her money in the apartment and that maybe her bf wouldn't pay because he's mad at her, cabbie calls the cops, she gets busted for not paying and they might connect her to the accident earlier. Not good. Or bf pays, but if she wants to make it up to him, that wouldn't be a good start. So she decides to walk.
So why would she answer the cab call with "I'm there in a minute" when in fact she decided to walk? She called him. Then decides to walk. After some time, cabbie calls her. (Do we know if she really answered those calls or if she just let it ring and go to voicemail?) Cabbie calls her again a minute later. She realizes cabbie won't give up. She calls him back, to avoid any discussion she says she'll be there in a minute (some girls don't want to pee people off in direct conversation) and turns the phone off so he can't call her back anymore. Weak point: She could've told him she doesn't need a cab anymore, sorry. She could've turned the phone off without calling back.
Of course the phone could've died due to extensive use (battery) and that last call did it in. But if she didn't intend to turn it off, her message to the cabbie makes no sense as she had to expect that he keeps pestering her if she doesn't show up after the minute.
2. She got into a car with someone she knew and trusted. (Huge mistake!)
Quite possible. Maybe her boyfriend who drove down to see her or pick her up, if he read the text. Maybe someone who was at the party and either followed her or was leaving anyway and saw her walking. An acquaintance who was not there and just happens to drive by might be possible, too, but rather unlikely. Possible, still.
3. She was suddenly snatched up by a stranger/strangers.
Always a possibility. But just like with the random acquaintance, the window of opportunity is small, if she really was "just one minute" away from the AM/PM. Probably more than one person in this case. One gets out and grabs her, threatens her with a weapon, they get into the car and the driver ... does what a driver does.
If it's only one person, I doubt she would've gotten in. Being a hothead and getting out of a car/walk at night is one thing, willingly entering an unknown vehicle is another. Maybe she needed a little nudge with the fender, and then a good samaritan who gets out, puts her in the backseat and promises to drive her to the hospital. Weak point with that would be that she might scream and that it might leave evidence like drops of blood behind. That's two "mights", though, and it could've happened very quick, very clean and very silent. Like with Mickey Shunick.
4. She took off for parts unknown (Mexico perhaps) by herself or with someone she knew.
The most unlikely scenario, in my opinion, and therefore probably exactly what happened. I still don't buy into her leaving everything behind. I'm not talking unimportant things like ID's, cars etc., I'm talking clothes, shoes and her little doggie. Maybe even her bf.
But who knows?
It's probably this:
5. All of the above.
Or a combination. She decides to walk, some random stranger appears. Or someone she knows. Maybe even the cabbie, after he left the AM/PM. Yes, I know. I just refuse to rule him out yet. Actually, I only rule out myself. But then again, I might be schizophrenic or a sleepwalker.
All these unsolved cases are driving me nuts!