Later, Kitts says, Reece offered him 10 percent.
Kitts did some reading. He learned about treasure trove, an old idea from English common law that said lost money belonged to whoever found it. He asked for 40 percent.
According to Kitts, Reece ordered him out. Later, her offer dropped again, to $1,000 or $2,000.
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Kitts hired a lawyer. Then he decided to go public. On December 12, 2007, the Cleveland Plain Dealer ran the story of the cash in the wall.
That turned out to be a mistake, at least for Kitts and Reece. In nearby Euclid, two men read the article with special interest.