Um, there was nothing obvious about Rex being dead. Doctors don't call loved ones and break the bad news over the phone, people. And if you know that DH is 1/3 soap opera, then you know that anything's popular. It would be soap-esque if it turned out Rex wasn't dead and wanted to see how Bree would react. A major part of Bree's characterization is that she is very much a Stepford wife and it's important for her to have a husband to play off of.